DEAR HARRIETTE: When someone passes away in this day and age, it is a little unnerving that all of their social media gets left behind.
There was a younger student who passed in my community whose family uses his social media accounts to post sad messages such as “Bobby would've loved this weather!” on warm days. Is it immoral to delete this account from my friends list? I don't want to dishonor the dead, but I feel as though they are misusing the account. -- Sad Status, Milwaukee
DEAR SAD STATUS: You have touched upon a new dilemma that many are facing. For one, the fact that a friend or family member had one or more social media outlets that remain open and potentially active can be both unnerving and oddly comforting for loved ones who are left behind. In the early days of a person’s death, these points of contact can be useful as they may be the way that loved ones learn about a person’s passing, details of the memorial service and other immediate considerations. Beyond that, it is true that sometimes family and friends keep the pages going. This has a lot to do with not being able to let go.
For each grieving person, the process is different as to how long you hold on to these connections that no longer are directly between you and the person who is now gone. You must gauge for yourself when you no longer want to hear from others who loved the person. Know that you have no reason to feel bad when you do let go. Ultimately, you have to live your life and be present for yourself and the people who are alive with you.