When a loved one passes, doing things to honor them can not only help to keep their memory alive but give you comfort and allows them to remain close to you. It can make you feel close to them and for many people it can aid in the grieving process to make it more manageable by giving them focus on other things. Here are some ways you can do this:

1. Charity Drives – Set up a drive for a charity close to you and your loved one’s heart. It could be helping the organisations that aided you while your loved one was sick or it could be helping in a different way. For example, if your loved one was a veteran, organise a food drive to help homeless veterans get a hot meal, if your loved one was a teacher, help underprivileged kids get toys for Christmas. Just think, what did your loved one do or was passionate about and choose something that is an extension of this.
    
2. Memorialize Them – There are a variety of different options for this and you could do something personal such as visiting a favourite spot each day, month or year that you used to frequent, turning their old clothes into a quilt or stuffed animal, creating a collage of your favourite pictures or even having their ashes turned into fireworks or jewellery.
    
3. Talk To Others – Don’t shy away from the memories of your loved one. Talk to others about them, share stories and anecdotes, you never know how hearing of this can help others and this would be an excellent way of keeping them and their knowledge alive, particularly if their story was brave, moving and could inspire others.
    
4. Finish Something For Them – Rarely do we have everything tied in a bow neatly before we die and there is usually something on their “list” that they wish they had done or were in the middle of completing. Finishing it can be a catharsis for you as well as honouring their memory. 
    
5. Plant A Tree – Planting trees or flowers can be an excellent way to honor a memory and gives you something to look at as a reminder in years to come. When flowers bloom each season it’s a beautiful way to remember or sometimes sitting by the specific tree you planted can make you feel closer to them.

Ultimately, what you do is personal to you and your loved one and it can be as simple as living life to the fullest in their memory, don’t feel like it has to be outlandish and out of character, small and simple is just as effective.

For more ideas on what we can offer, visit our website or call a member of staff who will be happy to answer your questions.