Memorialising those we have lost is a trait we humans have practiced for thousands of years, as suggested by one of the oldest intentional burial sites known to date: a cave found in Qafzeh, Israel in 1933 contained the remains of as many as 15 individuals, along with suggestions of a burial ritual. The age of this burial site is estimated to be 100,000 years old.
To this day, cemeteries and memorials still play a deeply significant role in our lives. That is, they’re not just the physical material of which they’re made – e.g. stone, bronze, glass and the like – but much, much more: they represent history, emotion, tribute and a legacy of social customs.
Memorials offer a way for people to put thoughts and feelings into a physical, more tangible form. This helps with the grieving process, as it creates a space where people may feel it is more acceptable to express emotions. Not just at the time of loss, but also when special days come around each year, such as birthdays and anniversaries.
In the modern world, there is no shortage of ways in which you can remember your loved one. Some ideas include:
An online memorial
A virtual memorial can be handy, especially if you need to make the memorial accessible to family and friends spread over the globe. This way they are not limited by their location to pay their respects or connect with others who knew the deceased.
To create an online memorial, visit HeavenAddress, a site that allows you to create a personalised memorial page of your loved one to which you can invite whomever you wish to visit or add memories.
A physical memorial
This is a traditional way to memorialise a loved one, but with many more options nowadays. The memorial can be as personal as you wish and can accommodate cultural and religious needs. It could be something as simple as chair or lawn burial to something more stately, such as a gazebo or mausoleum.
MyMemorial offers plenty of physical memorial options and memorial parks in NSW and Qld.
A memorial in words
Grief is very personal. For some, memorialising a loved one is done internally and individually. If this is your preference, you may find MyGriefAssist helpful. It is a website where you’ll find a vast range of helpful resources on grief and loss, such as videos, factsheets, stories, list of books and movies, meditations, songs and poems, quotes, and links.
