Remembering Your Loved One
It's natural to want to remember a loved one who has gone before
us, to recall how he touched our lives. And there are so many
ways you can capture these memories. Think about him for a few
minutes - what did he love to do? Was he an adventurer? A collector?
A peacemaker? Did he love to play sports? Did he spend more
time at Home Depot, or Best Buy? Maybe he was even the cook
of the family?
Each
section below will give you some ideas on how to go about gathering
the memories that you, your friends, and your family have of
your loved one. These memories will be a reflection of his life,
something that will give others added insight into who he was
and help them remember him.
- Collecting
stories from others - Whether you have family and
friends living close to you or far away, their stories and
remembrances of your loved one will be invaluable.
- Collecting
your own memories - There are many ways you can
preserve the memories you have of your loved one - here are
some ideas to spark your memories.
- Memorabilia
and Treasures - What to do with some of her prized
possessions?
- Online
Memorials - Present your collected memories in
a way that people all over the world can view them.
- Tributes
during special times - Here are a few ideas and
links to ways you can pay tribute to your loved ones, especially
useful during holidays and other times of the year when you
will want to remember in special ways.
- Books
about Remembering
- There are many books that talk about remembering a loved
one who has died, or that help you to write about your thoughts,
feelings, and memories.
- Preservation/Care
- Your memories will last longer if you use acid-free and
archival safe materials where possible. This section gives
you links all over the web that will help you preserve your
memories.
- Keep
in Mind - Here are a few things to think about
as you are going through the process.
Take
these ideas and add to them as you wish. After you visit these
pages, I hope you have the urge to do something, anything, to
capture your memories, in whatever manner you feel is most appropriate.
Some of the ideas here could take time, but whether you spend
a couple hours or a couple months putting your memories together,
what counts is what you get out of the time you take.
After
gathering these memories, you will come away with something
tangible, something that you can literally hold on to, helping
you keep your memories of your loved one alive. By doing so,
you are giving those who knew and loved him as you did something
to look at, somewhere to go, when they just want to remember.
They will appreciate it more than you will ever know.
Feel free to send me ideas of things that have worked well for
you and your family and let me know if I can include them. If
you have any questions or concerns, or are even just looking
for a little guidance or help in what to do, please e-mail
me.
|
|
Remembering a Loved One
Collecting Stories from Others
Preserving Your Own Memories
Gathering Memorabilia and Treasures
Creating an Online Memorial
Paying Tribute during Special Occasions
Books about Remembering
Preservation/Care
Things to Keep in Mind
record the memories of a
female friend or relative
Give sorrow words;
the grief that does not speak
Whispers the o'er-fraught heart
and bids it break.
~ William Shakespeare, in Macbeth, Act
IV, Scene III
|
