Ease Your Grief by Setting Up a Memorial Site

Memorializing a loved one that has passed can go a long way in helping heal the pain of a death. Set up a memorial site to honor the life lived, and to provide a peaceful place to go and remember your departed loved one. Having a place to go and think about the person that passed can help with grief, particularly among children. Some tips for setting up your own memorial site include the following:

Mark the site. Make sure to mark your memorial site with a plaque or engraved marker identifying the person that is being remembered. Since this is not the site of burial or interment, you don't need to worry about the information that might be on a gravestone; simply engrave the name, nickname, slogan, or popular phrase on the marker, instead. Ask kids to hand-paint stones or rocks with messages that can then be used to line or border the space.

Bring some life to the space. Make sure to breathe some life into your memorial spot with something live, like trees, plants, or even a fish pond. This provides a welcoming and living element to the site which can make it more beautiful and meaningful.

Create a place to sit. Create a place to sit at the memorial site so that loved ones can visit and reflect in comfort. This could be a stone bench, outdoor patio set, or even a simple chair; use something that you have on your own porch or patio! Just make sure that it is anchored-down to prevent it from moving during winds or weather, and check to ensure it is a weather- resistant piece of furniture before putting it outside.

Celebrate each year. Celebrate the life of your loved one each year with annual remembrances and family gatherings. Bring flowers, play music, and invite others to your event. However, skip releasing balloons into the sky, as this practice is harmful to the environment.

Make a donation. Memorialize your loved one by contributing to a group that the deceased felt strongly about. Donate to a local group, charity, or family in the name of your loved one, and encourage others to do the same. This is a wonderful way of keeping the departed alive by doing good works in their name.

Give family and friends a place to come and remember the person that has passed with a memorial site. It doesn't have to be in a cemetery or at the interment site, but is more of a meaningful spot in a yard, garden, or green-space that you can sit and feel closer to your deceased loved one. 

Looking for more tips? Contact resources like Brown Funeral Home to learn more.


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