Remembering a Loved One
There are so many ways to remember a loved one beyond just having a funeral or memorial service.
When you think of the person you lost, what comes to mind?
What were they passionate about?
Thinking about doing some of their favorite things can help you remember and feel close to them in a way they would appreciate too.
This is a list of the top 10 unique ways to memorialize your loved ones and appreciate their life, even in death.
#1 Cook their favorite meal.
Was your loved one passionate about food or is there a certain meal you will always associate with them?
Learn how to make it!
This is a great way to honor someone’s memory and reminisce about all the great meals you shared laughing and being together.
#2 Write them a letter and read it out loud
Writing a letter of things you wish you could say to someone you have lost is a great way to remember them.
Maybe you didn’t get to say goodbye the way you wanted to, writing a letter and reading it out loud is a great way to get some closure or imagine what they might say back to you.
#3 Take a trip to a place that was special to them
Maybe travel was at the top of your loved one’s list of passions, or they had always talked about their trip to Ireland.
Visiting places they had a connection to or loved can bring you closer to them as you wander a new city looking through their eyes.
#4 Go to their favorite museum or attraction
If you lost someone who was a fan of ancient Chinese art or loved going to the Guggenheim, going to visit their favorite museum is another way to remember a different side of them.
When grieving a loss, it helps to focus on the parts of their lives that made them feel the most fulfilled.
Seeing what they were passionate about is a great way to do that!
#5 Watch their favorite movie
Was the person you survive a fan of rom-coms or action movies?
Maybe they always loved Jim Carey movies.
Rewatching a movie that you knew made them laugh or even cry is a great way to remember that person and their love of corny jokes!
#6 Go back to places where they spent a lot of time
What's better than thinking about fond memories of the path you would stroll down with your late loved one?
Actually walking down it!
Going back to places that hold good memories is another great way to honor the dead.
#7 Visit with their friends or other loved ones
Processing through the grief of losing a loved one is incredibly difficult, but one way to help ease the pain is to remember the great memories that person left behind.
One way to keep their spirit alive is to visit with one of their friends and to hear all the ways your lost loved one touched others’ lives.
By talking to their friends you may gain an extra perspective on the fulfilled life your loved one led and that can help ease some of the grief you feel.
#8 Listen to their favorite band or write a song in their honor
Was your loved one big into music?
Maybe they were a die-hard Beatles fan or had an ear for classical music and opera?
Listening to their favorite music is a great way to feel closer to someone you have lost.
If you are the creative type yourself try writing a song about their life in their favorite genre of music!
#9 Create a Shadow Box of something important to them
Shadow boxes are a great way to tap into your creative side and commemorate the person you loved by showcasing something that was really important to them.
If they were in the military or if they loved to bake, frame the things that meant the most such as medals of honor or a favorite recipe.
It can be incredibly cathartic to be creative while remembering someone you loved and afterwards you are left with a lovely piece of commemorative wall art.
#10 Host a memorial fundraiser in their name
Finally, hosting a memorial fundraiser in the name of a loved one you lost is a great way to celebrate their life and find meaning in their death.
By choosing a charity or cause you know they were passionate about you will be honoring their memory and doing good for others.
One size doesn't fit all.
Have you done any of these creative things to honor a loved one?
Or perhaps you've done something entirely different and unique?
Either way, let us know below if you're willing to share... as others are always looking for new ways to honor and respect the memory and legacy of a loved one.
Losing a loved one is hard enough.
And as they say...
We all "get by with a little help from our friends"
