As the country closes again due to the resurgence of Coronavirus, grieving for the loss of a loved one has become difficult once more. Only 10 attendees can go to a funeral, and in some counties, restrictions will not allow gatherings at all. This can prevent individuals and families from gathering to mourn. Thankfully there are ways to celebrate the life of your loved one even in these difficult times. Here are a few tips on how to memorialize someone you recently lost.
How to Memorialize Someone During the COVID-19 Pandemic
As experts have pointed out, mourning the loss of a loved one is an essential part of the coping process. Failing to properly grieve may lead to emotional trauma. This can be a problem when quarantines limit or prevent families from holding funerals. Individuals must find new outlets for their grief in these unprecedented times. Here is a list of methods our funeral directors put together to help.
1. Creating Mementos to Remember the Lost
Having a keepsake to remember the person you lost can help you grieve and move forward. This item can represent an emotional link you had with the decedent, or it can represent something that was important to them. Did your loved one like animals and birds? Perhaps building a bird feeder would be a good way to memorialize them. Crocheting a blanket, scarf or hat in their honor is a good way to have a reminder of that person with you in an everyday object. Did your loved one have a special piece of jewelry they always wore? If you have access to it, maybe you should keep it, or you could make or commission a memorial piece of jewelry. Your funeral home, local jeweler or websites like Etsy may have great options for creating a memento of your loved one’s life.
2. Make a New Tradition
Every family has traditions it observes. Whether that is eating certain foods on holidays or speaking a prayer, these acts help bond our families together. The passing of a loved one is a profound event that can spark such traditions.
Did the loved one you lost enjoy a hobby like crafting or woodworking. Maybe taking up their hobby to make something once a year is a good tradition for you. Did they enjoy volunteering? Maybe you and the family can donate your time to your loved one’s favorite charity on a regular basis. Hiking, biking or visiting a place that was special to your loved one every month or year may also help you heal.
3. Collect Your Memories
Recollecting the good times with your loved one may also help you cope with your loss. Two activities that are perfect for this type of recollection are journaling and scrapbooking. In a journal, you can write your stories down and reflect on how they make you feel. Was there an adventure or trip you both held close to your hearts? Write about it. If you have pictures from the times you used to spend together, make copies and arrange them into a scrapbook. There are even websites that will help you do this in a digital format. Arrange your photos together into a book that you can cherish forever.
4. Create an Online Memorial
Due to the pandemic, a Colorado girl and her mother created a website specifically for the victims of coronavirus. They call the site Covituary.org and it helps put faces to the names of those who lost their lives to the pandemic. This free site allows families to post obituaries for those who passed due to coronavirus. However, this is not the only place where memorials can be setup online. Facebook allows you to change your decedent’s profile into a memorial. You can also go to other websites that offer memorial webpages. You can even set up a forum where you and other family members can talk about your memories with the one you lost.
5. Make Your Own Ritual
Unable to go to the funeral? Make up a ritual of your own. You can have a smaller service for just you and a few friends. Maybe consider fixing your loved one’s favorite meal, playing their favorite game or plant a tree in their honor. The sky is the limit, as long as you are embracing your grief and finding your way through the mourning process.
6. Plan a Future Memorial
Just because you cannot celebrate the life of your lost loved one now does not mean you cannot in the future. As with most things in life, this pandemic will pass. Make a plan to gather all your loved one’s family and friends once it is safe to get together again.
7. Talk to Friends and Family
The pandemic may have us locked away at home, but it has not cut us off. The internet has allowed people to connect over vast distances, and now it can help you and your family. Get on a Zoom meeting with your loved ones and talk about the special person you lost. Modern technology has helped us stay connected, and now it can help us recover.
Have more ideas on how to memorialize someone you lost? Feel free to share your ideas on our Facebook or Twitter page. At Callaghan Mortuary & Livermore Crematory, we want to help you celebrate the lives of those you have lost. We offer a wide range of funeral services, and we even have socially distanced options. If you have more questions about our Livermore funeral services, give us a call at (925) 447-2942. We will be happy to answer your questions.