The loss of someone close to you is never easy. Whether it be a friend or a relative, coping with loss can be overwhelming. Among the feelings that you’re likely to experience is the fear of forgetting. You might be worried that if you stop grieving, you’ll forget the memories of your loved one. As you take on the journey of grief, here are a few ways you can keep the memory alive:
Visit Their Resting Place
Lay flowers by their headstones or urns in West Valley City. It might be painful, but experts believe that it can help mourners get closure and move on. For some people, spending time at the burial site can feel comforting because they can feel the presence of their loved one. But if you think that it’s too difficult for you, you don’t have to rush yourself. There’s not a deadline for grief, and people cope and react in different ways.
If you’re intent on keeping traditions, you can visit on their birthdays or holidays. You can continue celebrating the same events beyond the grave. Try telling them about your day or recent events. It’s good for your mental health to speak your grief out loud because it can help resolve disbelief.
Donate to Charity
If they died because of a disease or self-harm, you could honor their memory by giving. It helps mourners make sense of their loss while helping others avoid the same fate. You can give a donation to a charity that funds research and education on the particular disease. You can also donate to nonprofit hospitals to help the less fortunate.
If contributing money isn’t an option for you, you can still help by giving your time. Volunteers are necessary to keep the operations of a charity running. While giving back, you’ll keep the memory alive and feel fulfilled.
If you’re the parent or the guardian, you can choose to donate an organ. In a survey by the University of Rochester, family members said that they chose to do it because it would mean that something positive resulted from their tragedy.
Store Their Messages
One of the best ways to remember someone is with their own words. It doesn’t matter if it was written on a piece of paper or sent via Facebook. You can frame, cross-stitch, or even get a tattoo of their messages. Their own words can remind you of their sense of humor, thoughtfulness, and strength.
While grieving, you may have doubts whether you’re remembering the right details in your memories. Memory scientist Julia Shaw has explained that people’s minds tend to construct false memories to deal with a loved one’s death. To keep the accurate memory alive, you can keep their messages, photos, and videos in a safe location.
As powerful as the human brain is, it can’t keep all your experiences and memories. Along with the grieving process, you’ll have to cope that you’re bound to forget some moments. On the bright side, you can make contributions to save lives and remember the best version of your loved one.
