Marking the passing of a loved one is one of the most profound and moving acts a human can engage in. There are many ways to honor a loved one who has passed. Every culture, religion, and tradition recognizes the importance of paying tribute to the deceased one way or another. In some cases, the desire to fulfill the late person’s final wishes determines how they will be honored. Religious beliefs may also influence the traditions we follow.

It Helps Us Heal

Most people feel they need to gather with others when they hear the news that a friend or family member has passed on. Being with other people who knew and loved the deceased is a way that we find closure. Whether through a traditional funeral service or an informal celebration of life, humans need to join together in their loss. Attending a group service helps everyone process their loss and connect with those who can best understand their grief.

It Helps Us Remember

Most of you know that not even death can make you forget a person you have loved, but time can cause memories to fade and relieve you of some grief. Honoring our loved ones through some kind of personal memorial will help you remember cherished memories when you need them the most. Sharing stories, making donations in their name, writing them letters are all ways to show honor for a life well lived and keep cherished memories alive.

It Can Be Joyful

Honoring a loved one doesn’t have to be an occasion that’s filled with tears and sadness. You might choose to celebrate them by taking that vacation you’d always talked about or by having a park bench dedicated in their honor. Someone who was happy and generous in life should be honored in ways that reflect their best qualities. Finding alternate ways to memorialize someone can positively impact your whole family or your whole community, and that is a beautiful legacy to leave behind.

It Helps Us Find Closure

Funerals, celebrations of life, and other memorializing traditions help the living by giving them a chance to say goodbye. Not everyone has the opportunity to make amends, share their gratitude, or hold their loved one’s hand as they pass away. Final goodbyes can be emotionally powerful even after someone has passed on. The opportunity to speak about a loved one in public or silently in our hearts helps us find closure and prepare for life without them.

Every Life Deserves to be Honored

Sometimes people die tragically. Sometimes we are estranged from our loved ones when they pass. Whatever the circumstance, every person’s life deserves to be honored and remembered in a special way and with loved ones. We all make an impact on someone or something with our presence, and most humans on this earth strive to be good, loving people. Even if a person falls short, their life had meaning and brought something unique into the world that no other human could have.