Honor Our Loved Ones

There are many ways to honor those that we have loved and lost.

Give your grief its voice by expressing your loss.
Display photographs.
Restore old or tattered pictures.
Donate to a worthy cause in their honor.
Enjoy your memories.
Visit or revisit places they loved.
Watch some of their favorite movies.
Plan ways to pass on their possessions.
Revisit the old neighborhoods.
Save something they owned for the grandchildren.
Write a biography of their life:  ”I will always remember…”
Become a companion to someone who is newly widowed.
Create a “Husband” or “Dad” calendar in their honor.
Listen to their favorite music.
Plant a tree or bush in their honor and watch it grow.
Check on extended family and friends who may be finding it hard.
Visit a favorite restaurant and enjoy their favorite item on the menu.
Explore your grief with a psychologist or counselor.
Create something of beauty out of their clothes. Example lap quilt
Make a donation to their alma mater.
Give yourself time to grief and ignore pressures to “move on”.
Write your own will and end-of-life documents.
Find a unique way to celebrate their birthdays.
Join a grief support group.
Remember the anniversary dates of other widows.

Be open to the moments when another’s loss intersects with yours.  Share what you are learning from your own loss.  Opportunities to share your own grief journey will help you to heal.