Even the most straightforward, pragmatic, and unsuperstitious of us want to do something to memorialize our loved ones when they pass. I used to think that it had something to do with religion. When I was growing up, you see, I believed in God. I knew that my grandparents were in heaven, and the purpose of the funeral memorial was to remember that they were up there watching us. Nowadays, I know better. You see, I no longer believe in God, but funeral memorials are more important to me than ever. After all, I have seen more than a few people die since then.
Almost every memorial funeral chapel will offer you some kind of keepsake or scheme to remember your loved one. Funeral memorials come in all forms. Even your typical funeral memorial cards attempt to make the deceased last beyond the service. Through touching poetry, memorable quotes that they said, or simply the recollections of the assembled mourners, it is as if the dead can speak again. The sympathy baskets and catered trays, far from being a futile gesture, actually help to make the event more special and memorable. In a sense, you see, the death is a form of rebirth. Even for those of us who don’t believe, a funeral marks the point where the dead must live on in our memories.
Nonetheless, with a little bit of creativity most people can come up with a better funeral memorial than some cheesy card. Some people like to put up funeral monuments, but I don’t think this goes far enough. To me, a headstone is every bit as good as a statue. The only difference is that the statue seems to have some pretension of permanence, while the headstone has none.
In my opinion, the best funeral memorial is to do something in the name of the deceased to make the world a better place. There are many things that you can do. You can donate to a cause that he or she loved, try to use that person as an example in your daily life, or start a website to memorialize his or her life. The most important thing about a funeral memorial is that it be meaningful to you. Not only must you honor the spirit of the deceased, but you also must honor your own spirit. Don’t just celebrate their life, but how they connected with you. That way, you will remember them forever.
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