6 Ways to Remember a Departed Loved One
In Last Friday’s The Late Show with Stephan Colbert, the Matrix- star Keanu Reeves was the guest came to promote his upcoming film. During the course of the conversation that is mostly like any other late night TV celeb fare, things got pretty profound and moving towards the end when Colbert asked Reeves a philosophical question “What do you think happens when we die”.
Audience and Colbert were most definitely expecting a witty and cheeky answer as that was the vibe of the rest of the conversation. However, Reeves stunned the audience and Colbert (that rarely happens) with his answer and in a good way. Reeves replied in his inherent grave voice after taking a deep breath, “I know that the ones who love us will miss us’.
This is the simplest way to describe the irrefutable reality of life after death, not for the person who departed but the ones he/she leaves behind. Missing a loved one who is not anymore is a lifetime sentiment, which one should not deny or suppress in any way. Instead, it is better to transform that overwhelming feeling into a cathartic remembrance.
There are different ways through which you can honor the memory of the departed loved ones. Not only will it bring closure in the most poignant way, but you will be able to etch their permanent place in your memory.
1) Set up a Memorial Garden
Establishing a memorial garden in the name of your deceased one is one of the most effective ways to keep their memory alive. Budding saplings and blossoming flowers is a symbolic way to demonstrate the transition of the people who have left the world.
Setting up a memorial garden will also provide you with a physical space where you can undergo the emotional release. Try to plant more of the perennial plants and flowers to make sure the garden brims with their memory all year long.
If it’s not feasible to set up an entire garden or vegetation space, you can plant a tree in their name. A tree will become a symbol of your inexhaustible love and yearning for them, which will only grow stronger by the time just like the tree.
2) Etch Their Memory in the Sky
It’s a natural human reaction to look up in the sky while remembering a departed loved one. The sky can also become the canvass to rekindle their memory. You can dedicate and name a star after your late loved one. Yes, it is possible to have a celestial body named after the person who is not there anymore. For instance, look at this product where you can get the name deed and the comprehensive location map of the named star.
It’s a great way to embody the memory of your departed loved ones in a thing that will shine on till the eternity. Also, you can take a peek of the celestial memory of your loved one through a simple telescope.
3) Support a Cause that They Loved
‘What is dead may never die’— there are many among us who believe that death is actually the transition of the soul from one realm to another. This is the reason why we use the word ‘departure’ and it’s variant to describe death.
If you also think that the passed loved ones are there somewhere, then the best way to connect to them is to support a cause, charity or movement that they used to love and supported in ‘this world’. Even if this is not your belief, just imagine how happy they would be if they were alive to see you doing the things that they were passionate about.
4) Continue to Celebrate their Birthdays
The first birthday after the passing is surely a crushing reminder of the loss. However, it is also the opportunity to commemorate their lives posthumous. You can invite your extended family and close friends of the departed individual to remember all the goods of the person and the highs that he/she got to during their lives.
It’s like group therapy and surely an effective way to process the grief of the lost soul. If you find it difficult to organize it on your own for the first time, ask for the help of family and friends. Also, make it a tradition for every year.
5) Create a Photo Booth
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure— photos are an effective way to bring back the memories of bygone times. You can also use them in a creative way to remember your departed loved ones. Print pictures of them taken at different events and occasions, and also of the shared moments, make a paper collage and affix it somewhere in the house. You can also make a dedicated photo stall if you have enough space in the house. Keep in mind that remembering your loved one will make it easy to rinse out the ever-looming grief.
6) Put on Any of their Wearable
A piece of their jewelry or any other wearable that you can put on is also a great way to live the memory of your loved ones. It will elicit the feeling that they haven’t gone anywhere and living there just beside you.
Importance of Remembrance
There are many reasons why one needs to keep remembering the departed loved ones.
• It is important because it outlines the reality of death in a more definite manner.
• Remembrance also helps in understanding and processing the emotions associated with death.
• Remembrance also helps in finding the meaning of life after the death of a loved one.
• Remembrance also helps in coping with grief through the help of family and friends.
• Lastly, remembrance is the celebration of their lives and a way to tell how important they were, are and will be in your life.
One should always have this in mind: sadness associated with the loss of a loved one may never go away. However, it’s the remembrance that makes it easy to live with that grief.