The future is a scary place when it doesn’t include someone you love.
The important thing to do after someone dies, and you start thinking about the future, is to keep that person’s memory alive.
Everyone has there on ways to do just this, but here are our top 5.
(1) Create a DIY Memory Board
We’re all about taking on tasks that encourage activity. After someone dies it’s so easy to fall into a routine of not going out or not doing something, making your own memory board guarantees that you’ll have a creative afternoon. Here are some steps to creating your own.
(2) Keep traditions alive.
As the holidays approach, it’s dreadful to think about what Thanksgiving, Christmas or celebrating the New Year will be like without your loved one. Especially if it’s the first holiday season you spend without them. In these situations it’s important to keep some of their favorite traditions alive. It may be hard, but decorating the Christmas tree just how they liked it may bring you some peace.
(3) Share stories about them.
There’s no time frame for how long it’ll take you to get through funny, good stories without crying about them first. I’m still not completely there when it comes to telling stories about my grandmother. But, once you get there, telling others about your loved one’s funniest moments or any favorite tale will make all the difference in keeping their memory alive.
(4) Celebrate their special days.
When my grandmother’s birthday snuck up on me in July it was especially hard because she LOVED her birthday, so knowing she wasn’t here to celebrate it sucked. I took this day to celebrate her life and even though it was a sad day for me, I tried my best to live it in her honor.
(5) Say “love” instead of “loved.”
When a person dies, it doesn’t mean your love for them has to die too. So say “love” when referring to them. Everything else about them may be in the past tense, but you have control over what tense to use when describing your love for them.
What would you add to this list?
Photo: WeHeartIt
I think a portrait tattoo is a great way to keep someone’s memory alive. I plan on getting one for my brother as soon as I have the money.
Author
That is definitely an amazing way to commemorate someone who has died. My brother got a tattoo of my mom’s dob and day she died, a couple of days after she passed.
Author
What are ways you keep your mom’s memory alive, Suzy?
My mom died at age 40. 1 was ten years, it is everyday I talk to her.