When a loved one passes away, one of the only things you want to do is keep them alive in any way possible. Honoring their memory allows you and others to stay close to this individual even after they’ve passed away. These options can help you honor the memory of a passed loved one.
Carry Out Their Last Wishes
As hard as it can be to carry on after the passing of a loved one, carrying out their last wishes can be a healthy form of closure. Before your loved one passed away, they likely created a will. This legal document dictates any last wishes they had, and how they’d like their estate to be divided up. Going through this process can be incredibly emotionally draining, but it can also help you feel closer to your loved one as you fulfill their final desires. This process can go beyond their will as well. Perhaps your loved one was in the military during their life. You can donate to the Wounded Warrior Project or other military organization that helps soldiers. If they loved art, you can donate to an art foundation in their name. This gives them a place of permanent honor in something they cared about.
Hold a Service
Another way you can honor the memory of a loved one who has passed away is by holding a service. After an individual dies, their friends and family can come together to honor their memory and say a final goodbye. When planning the service, decide if you would prefer a funeral or a memorial service. Funerals usually include the casket whereas a memorial service does not. If including the casket is too difficult for you and your family, you can have a memorial service instead. Both of these will allow people to come together and share their love and grief. Once again, holding a service can be emotionally difficult. It holds a finality that many struggle with. However, it gives you the chance to lay your loved one to rest peacefully.
Tell Their Stories
The final way to carry on honoring your loved one’s memory is by telling their stories. Perhaps your children are young, and likely won’t have many memories of this individual. By telling their stories, you are keeping their memory alive. Tell them about funny things this loved one used to do, how they grew up, what they loved, and how they impacted you. If you want to go the extra mile, consider creating a scrapbook or photo album of their life. There are many websites that can print physical copies of these books. When creating this, you can sort through their photos and journals, and create a book that immortalizes their life and history. This can then be passed onto future generations, and help them keep their memory alive.
Losing a loved one can be absolutely devastating. When they’re gone, it can be difficult to move on and process their loss. Honoring their memory helps you continue to feel closer to them, and helps future generations remember them as well.
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