Between the funeral arrangements, the family visits, the endless condolence calls there is hardly time to catch a breath. Little things are often overlooked. But, after the chaos dies down and there is time to reflect on the life and legacy of a loved one. There are many ways to preserve the memory of someone who has past away. The most universal way of memorializing a loved on in the western world is to hold a funeral and place a headstone at the grave site. Beyond this there are worlds of options from memorial plaques and gardens to special trusts and charities set up in honor of the loved one. For some, the time and expense of creating and maintaining a memorial outstrips the desire to memorialize a loved one. For these individuals an online memorial offers the perfect solution.
What is an online memorial?
An online memorial is a special place on the internet dedicated just to your loved one. Online memorials can be created to honor anyone’s memory. They can be tasteful, elegant, beautiful, and still convey the values, interests, and personality of the deceased.
Who would benefit from an online memorial?
Most people would benefit from the process of creating an online memorial. An online memorial gives you a way to convey all your thoughts and feelings about your loved one in the way that you want. Unlike funerals and headstones, an online memorial is a deeply personalized sentiment. You do not have to worry about what other friends, family, or associates might think of your tribute. With an online memorial you can share the entire life story of a loved one in a way that funerals and headstones can not. By creating an online memorial you can also help work through your feelings of grief in a positive and constructive manner. Sharing your story about how your loved one touched your life can help others as well.
Online memorials are easy and inexpensive.
Unlike a traditional website an online memorial is easy and inexpensive. You do not need to have any website development skills. Basic computer skills are enough to have your online memorial up and running. Online memorials can be less expensive than purchasing a domain, hosting, developing and maintaining your own website. The online memorials at InRepose, for example, are very inexpensive. At $9.95 a year they are much more cost effective than creating and hosting your own site. InRepose online memorials also offer a variety of tools for uploading pictures, documents, and other items that you would like to have on your loved ones memorial quickly and easily. Once an online memorial has been created maintaining the online memorial is simple. You can spend as much or as little time on your memorial as you want. All the technical aspects such as webhosting are done for you.
Online memorials provide a centralized place for remembering.
Too often families are separated by large geographical distances. While they may be able to gather for the initial funeral it can be difficult for families to gather on a regular basis to remember their loved ones. Online memorials help bridge that gap by creating a place where family can gather, discuss, and remember their loved ones. Online memorials help to remove the geographical barriers that keep people from accessing the support they need and prevent them from feeling that where they live influences how much they care about the deceased. Unlike a traditional grave site, a person can visit an online memorial any time of the day or night, from any location in the world.
Online memorials preserve family history.
When a person dies their life achievements, their stories, and their experiences often go with them. An online memorial can be used to preserve family history in a way that other memorials can not. A person can prepare their own memorial before they pass on to prevent valuable family history from dissolving or loved ones can collect information about the deceased and preserve it for future generations. Online memorials can be used to trace genealogy and family lineage. They are an excellent place to store and share the memories that your family creates over a life time.
