Make a Check-in Reminder for Friends Who Have Been Through Traumatic Events
Life throws many unpleasant experiences in our path – for example, death in the family, unpleasant breakups, or excruciating trauma – but a good friend can always help us survive. This trick will remind you to be a good friend long after the initial shock of the traumatic event has passed.
Anniversaries can be both good and bad. Some of them are joyful milestones, while others are reminders of our sad past that permeate our thoughts. But what has not happened to us is easy to forget. For example, the anniversary of the death of a friend’s family member may not be something in your mind, but they probably can’t help but think about it at this time of year.
This is why peachallen on Reddit invites you to make an annual recurring event on your calendar whenever something traumatic happens to someone you care about. Come back this time next year, you will have a good reminder to talk to them and see how they are doing. Others will surely forget and stop registering after a few months, but now you can be there when they need someone the most and may be too afraid to bring the issue up.
Of course, this still needs to be done tactfully. Don’t say something like “OMG So-and-so died exactly one year ago!” In this case, the simple and gloomy “How are you lately?” will do, or maybe you say, “I know this time of year can be difficult for you. How are you holding up? “Give them the opportunity to talk about it, but don’t force it. Let them know that you are ready to help them if they need it.