After the funeral is over, a permanent memorial can provide family and friends with a dedicated place to continue their healing journey.
A Lasting Tribute
The grieving process doesn’t end when the funeral does. Oftentimes, the services are just the first steps to healing and recovery. It can be hard for the bereaved to return to their regular routines so soon after the services are over, especially given the demands of the modern world and the limits that many employers place on allowed time for grieving.
Creating a lasting tribute can give family and friends a permanent place to visit when they need help feeling connected to the loved one who has passed. It serves as a focus for their memory, and provides a private space for reflection and peace. It can also serve as a location for family and friends to commemorate important occasions, and can help make it easier to cope on meaningful dates like birthdays or anniversaries.
As the years pass, a permanent memorial can also become a link to the past for younger generations who may not have had the opportunity to meet the departed loved one during their lifetime.
How to honor a life
Everyone has a unique way of handling a tragedy, and it’s OK to honor that.
It’s important to respect and love yourself enough to recognize that you’re dealing with your emotions the best way you know how.
Below are seven ways to not only honor your loved one but also heal your heart and strengthen yourself.
- Plant a Memorial Tree
- Keepsake Saplings
- Keepsake Seed Packets
- Bird Feeder Memorial Gift
- Organize a drive in your loved one’s memory
- Transfer your emotions into an activity
- Meet with a grieving group
Some folks turn ashes into fireworks, and then set off the fireworks on that person’s birthday. Others buy paper lanterns and light up the night sky at a special memorial service. Still others may send off their loved one’s favorite shirts to be made into a quilt or used as patchwork for a stuffed animal, or may have a canvas painting done from a favorite picture.
These are all ways to not only comfort yourself and have something special that reminds you of your loved one, but also things that celebrate their life.
Cover your bed’s headboard with their pictures. Wear their shirts and sweaters and hats. Put a memento they loved on your nightstand. Wallpaper an area in your home with the greeting cards you exchanged. They may not be physically present any longer, but it’s okay to cherish what they meant to you and surround yourself with the wonderful time you shared together.
Whether it’s a hobby that’s been dormant for some time, a new activity altogether, or even something you used to share with your loved one—transferring your emotions into an activity is a great way to detox yourself from stress and other upsetting emotions.