What can I say to a friend who's Father had recently passed away, that hasn't already been said?

[Conqueror507]

The first thing you say is, "I am sorry for your loss."

You can always say, "It is hard, no matter how it comes."

"I will hold you in the light" is a good phrase. It has a spiritual quality at a time when people may have doubts about their own faith or resentment about people gushing about theirs.

The most important thing is that you listen to your friend. In conversation, if you are unsure, it is appropriate to ask if she was close to her father. I shall always remember that Charlotte Liz said, of my relationship with my mother, "Oh, you were estranged." It was like, "Char understands." That meant so much to me.

The hardest part of losing someone who is close to you is the day after everyone goes home. That's when it hits you, that's when you really need a friend. That feeling lasts for a long time.