Remembering A Loved One: 7 Ways To Keep Their Memory Alive

Going through the stages of grief is a tender and delicate process. One thing everyone can agree on, though, is that they don’t want to lose the memory of their loved one even after they’re gone. But how should you go about doing this?

There is no right or wrong way to remember your loved one and keep their memory alive once they’ve passed. However, we have a few suggestions of how you can do so in the months and years to come, including remembering a loved one on the anniversary of their death. Following these tips we’re going to outline below will help you navigate the grieving process and keep their legacy alive long after they’re gone. 

Why Remembering A Loved One After They Pass Is So Important 

At first, it may be too painful to think about the happier days you spent together and realize your loved one is no longer here with you. But at a certain point, it needs to happen. It can be a valuable part of the grieving process. It will help you see brighter days. 

Of course, it would be impossible to forget someone who meant so much to you even after they are gone, but there are still ways you can remember the slight details about them and some of the quirks that made them who they were. Plus, you may discover new things about them even after they have passed, which can help you feel connected to them and make remembering a loved one that much sweeter. All things considered, this is not something you should neglect to do - it can really help you navigate the grieving process and find peace. Let’s get into the topic at hand today:

Remembering A Loved One: 7 Ways To Keep Their Memory Alive

With both age-old traditions and modern takes on memorials, we have compiled a list of some of the best ways to keep the memory of your loved one alive even after they’re gone. Something people might not know about grief is that it comes in stages, so some of the following ideas may not seem appropriate to do until a year after they’ve passed, while others you will want to begin doing immediately. 

Continue reading to check out some of our favorite ways to remember a loved one, and consider trying some of them out for yourself when the time is right. 

Cook their favorite meal

Remembering your loved one after they’ve passed doesn’t have to be anything crazy or complex. It can be as simple as cooking their favorite meal - or visiting a spot you guys used to love eating at together. Whether your loved one was a seasoned chef themselves or simply liked to be the taste-tester, chances are, they had a favorite meal that they loved to eat. Maybe it was a family recipe that has been passed on through generations or a dish at their local diner; regardless, cooking or eating their favorite meal is a great way for remembering a loved one once they’re gone.

Evoking the senses can help enhance your memory of a person, so tasting the flavors of their favorite dish will give you a warm memory every time you eat it going forward. Plus, if it’s a treasured family recipe, you may have an even deeper connection to the food and think of them and your ancestors each time you make it. 

You can share the dish with friends and family as well, which may even bring about some conversation of fond memories of the person and elevate the overall experience. 

Travel to a place that was special to them

Another way that makes remembering a loved one easier is to travel to a place that was special to them. For some people, this is the family cabin in the woods, while for others it may be their favorite coffee shop downtown. Either way, chances are that your friend or family member had a location that they thought of fondly. 

Near or far, visiting this location can be a special event for you and the other friends and family they left behind, as you can make a special trip there to honor them. Even if you take the trip yourself, you can be reminded of the lovely memories you shared with them in that specific location. 

Or, if you never got the pleasure of visiting the location with them, you can explore it for the first time on your own while knowing that they’d been there before and discover all the reasons why they must have loved it. 

Watch their favorite movie

Almost everyone has a favorite movie, so chances are, your loved one did too. Recall what that was, and spend an afternoon or evening putting on their favorite flick, which can help you remember any times that you spent watching it with them, and evoke fond memories of your departed loved one. 

This can be a creative way to memorialize your loved one, so you can invite friends and famliy members to take part in the movie watching with you so you can all benefit from the warm memories of your loved one together. 

Write them a letter

If you want to continue feeling connected to your loved one in the months and years after they’ve passed, you can write them letters on a regular basis. Remembering a loved one in this way can help you feel like you’re keeping them updated on what’s new in your life and in the family, and can keep you from feeling like you’re leaving them in the past. 

Writing letters to your departed friends or family can help it seem like you’re still in conversation with them, and can talk to them anytime you want. You can drop the letter by their gravesite or keep them safeguarded in your home, but either way, you are keeping their memory alive by thinking of them often. 

Especially when remembering a loved one on the anniversary of their death, you may want to write them a letter about all you’ve done in the past year, which can become a yearly tradition for you. 

Connect with their friends & family

Something that people have been doing for ages to keep the memory of their loved one alive even after they’ve passed is to meet up with their friends and family to share stories, laughs, and memories of the person.

Maybe they have an older sibling who remembers them in their younger years or a best friend from high school who shares fond memories with them, after speaking with them, you may even learn something new about your loved one after they’ve passed. 

Talking about them and sharing their stories to the younger generation is a great way to keep their memory alive, and it helps you hold on to your own memories with them. 

Host a memorial in their honor

A more traditional way to honor your departed loved one and preserve their memory is to host a memorial in their honor. Whether you decide to hold a funeral or celebration of life ceremony, respecting their wishes and honoring them in a ceremonial manner can be a great way for friends and family to remember them. 

While this is typically done immediately following their death, some may decide that remembering a loved one on the anniversary of their death through a memorial is more appropriate. 

Not only do memorials provide people with the closure they may need to move on with the grieving process, but it can also provide their friends and family with the opportunity to share stories and memories of the person, which can become a lasting memory for the loved ones they left behind. 

Keep Their Legacy Alive With An Online Profile

We’ve saved the best for last. One of the best ways you can honor your loved one even after they're gone is to create an online memorial website for them. In 2022, this is the most simple way to keep their legacy alive forever. With the custom and easy-to-use templates on the Forevory site, you can put together their life story in just minutes, which makes remembering a loved one that much simpler.

From photo and video uploads to family trees and friendly anecdotes, a Forevory profile will provide you with a long-lasting memory of your loved one for the years to come. Once created, anyone can visit their profile by scanning the personalized QR code that Forevory will send you, which you can even put on their memorial or headstone for everyone to access it by scanning it with the camera of their smartphone. Other noteworthy features include an online memorial family tree, online memorial guest book, and even online memorial voice notes. 

Remembering a loved one on the anniversary of their death becomes that much more meaningful, being able to see all the stories and photos that their friends and family members have uploaded since they passed.

Final Thoughts On Remembering A Loved One

Regardless of how you choose to preserve the memory of your departed loved one, you will be able to honor their legacy in the years and decades to come in your own special way. Respect that the grieving process takes time and may evoke a plethora of emotions, though you can feel confident that you won’t be leaving the memory of your loved one in the past. 

Whether through yearly visits to their favorite spot when remembering a loved one on the anniversary of their death or by frequently writing them letters, keeping a loved one’s memory alive after they’ve passed is a personal and tender journey that you will figure out for yourself. 

With Forevory, you can make sure that you’re preserving their memory with honor and dignity by providing a place for friends and family to share stories with one another, upload precious photos, and overall stay connected through your shared memories of your loved one. To see what features would best help you honor your loved one for the years to come, you can explore Forevory further today.