Remembering Loved Ones Who Have Passed On

We have all lost loved ones at some point in our life. For some people they grieve and move on. For others…it’s a grieving process that can last for years if not a lifetime. Everyone handles grief differently and on their own time schedule. We are all individuals.

A few days ago I was thinking about this and I was curious to see how many of you visit the graves of your loved ones? I know some people go at the time of burial and then never return. Others like me visit on a regular basis. There’s nothing wrong with either way.

One thing that I’ve learned throughout my marriage is that hubby deals with grief a lot differently than I do. He closes up for several weeks and then comes around. I’m totally different and need to talk about it and talk about it pretty often until I come to terms with it.

In our family we do have a few traditions when it comes to remembering loved ones who have passed. I thought I would share a few with you today.

1. We visit the graveside a few times every year. A lot of times that falls around their birthday, day they passed and/or around the holidays.

2. Charitable contributions or volunteerism. We will regularly donate to their favorite charity or we will volunteer our time with that charity to honor our loved one. You don’t need to donate much ($10 bucks will do) and you only need to volunteer a few hours a year. Plus, its a way to help others.

3. I enjoy painting rocks and large seashells. Every friend or family member who passes will get one on their grave shortly after burial. It’s just something I enjoy doing.

4. Birthday celebrations! For those who were immediate family members we like to get together to celebrate their birthdays. For example: My mother-in-law loved dining at Olive Garden every year on her Birthday and on Mother’s Day. As a family we get together at Olive Garden every year on her Birthday to celebrate her life. A cousin of mine was a big fan of going out to see movies at local theaters. Every year on his birthday we go out to see a movie in his honor.

5. We have a 3 foot Christmas Tree that we put up every year. It’s our “special” family tree. We hang ornaments on that tree to remind us of loved ones who have passed on. It’s a nice way to remember them during the tough holiday season.

How many of you do special things to remember and honor loved ones who have passed on? What kind of things do you do and how often do you do them? I would love to hear some ideas!