Are you afraid that now that the funeral is over and everyone is back to their usual roles, your loved one will slowly be forgotten? Or do you wonder what you could do to make it clear that the deceased is still part of his family and will be forever?
There are many things you can do to honor the deceased while keeping their memory alive. In many cases, the way you remember the person will be a source of wisdom and humor that can last for years and be an inspiration in life.
Here are ten ways to start showing love even when you’re separated from your loved one.
1. When the time is right (and only you will know when) tell your favorite story about your loved one. It can be a funny story or one that illustrates your character. Choose the right place and people to share the best, and be alert to inject it as a normal and natural extension of the conversation.
2. Periodically, use a favorite recipe that your loved one liked to eat or cook. You can also serve their favorite dessert with a reminder of how the conversation went when it was served.
3. Plant a garden of memories or a tree, bush, or flowers that bloom each year and are known as “Sarah’s Garden,” “Mary’s Tree,” or “Joe’s Plant.” Choose items that were your favorites. Dear If possible, put them in a space so that when you look out your window you can see them and you can comment on their growth or appearance throughout the year.
4. Use your loved one’s first name every day. You can do this by choosing to talk to him/her every day, either silently or out loud, or you can tell others that you hope they feel free to use the name and talk about the loved one when referring to them would be natural. . in a private conversation.
5. On holidays, birthdays, cookouts, or anniversaries, find a way to symbolically acknowledge the presence of the loved one. Use a particular utensil when cooking; display a special item that belonged to the deceased; light a candle at home and/or in church; display something the person made or painted; make a toast in which the person is mentioned by name or hang a particular ornament or object that characterizes the loved one.
6. Do something to continue your loved one’s charitable interest in a particular organization or cause. It could be things like preserving some part of the environment, sponsoring a child in an orphanage, helping the homeless, or volunteering at a soup kitchen. You may also consider setting up a scholarship at a high school or college.
7. Play your loved one’s favorite song or a song by your favorite artist or TV show. It can also be helpful to find music that was popular earlier in your life and that may bring back old memories of you and your loved one.
8. On an anniversary or other special day, ask your best friend to take a trip to a favorite place you used to go with your loved one. While discussing the past and the memories that this visit evokes. As you get closer to reinvesting in life, you may want to take this journey alone and choose to talk to your deceased loved one about the good times you had there.
9. Make a collage of photos of the loved one that you can frame and display in your home or office. If you have a specific artistic talent (or could hire someone), draw cartoons or symbols that illustrate the person’s interests, character, or abilities and include them in the collage. Include a sample of the decedent’s work, if applicable.
10. Have a plaque made with your loved one’s name engraved with a favorite saying (yours or one your loved one likes). Ask your local college or university, if he/she was associated with it, if they would accept a donation from a bank for the campus in your loved one’s name. Or buy a bench and place it in your garden area or in a cemetery garden.
In short, the way you remember your loved one is only limited by your creativity. So consider what you learned from your loved one, how they helped others, and how you think they’d like to be remembered. Ask other people you trust for their opinion. Then decide how you will keep the memory of your loved one alive through the tangible reminders you create.