More Death Articles
Sympathy Flowers: Choosing a Floral Arrangement
Funeral flowers are a time honored tradition of showing our love, respect, and affection both for those who have passed from this life and for those who are left behind. They are meant to be a source of comfort and beauty in a dark time in a family’s life, and can also represent the continuation of life even though a death has touched us.
Funeral Wreaths
One of the most popular of which is the wreath. Funeral wreaths and their circular design are meant to signify life and the continuity of it. Just as a wreath is an unbroken circle that goes on and on, the wreath symbolizes that life goes on for those who are left behind. For those with these kinds of beliefs, wreaths also signify that when life on Earth is ended, it goes on elsewhere. It can be a very comforting thought to the family. They are often constructed out of rosemary or laurel branches, both of which signify honor and remembrance.
Casket Arrangement
A casket arrangement is a very large bouquet that is meant to be placed on top of the funeral casket itself. If you would like to honor a lost loved one with a casket arrangement, it is best to contact the bereaved to find out if they have already arranged for this floral arrangement since space on the casket is limited. These arrangements may otherwise come to rest along entryway tables, along pews or on other flat surfaces in the funeral home.
Funeral Sprays
Funeral sprays are also meant to be displayed at the funeral home or at a gravesite service and are elegantly beautiful displays that stand on a tripod structure. They can be placed all around the funeral home or church to brighten up proceedings and bring some comfort to the bereaved. Funeral sprays can be designed with traditional flowers or customized to suit the tastes and personality of the deceased. Talk to your florist about how to best personalize your spray to reflect your love and care for the deceased.
Funeral Baskets
Funeral baskets are more like gifts for the living than memorials for the deceased. While they might be arranged beautifully, they are often full of things like chocolate, coffee, fruit or teas. They are meant to lift spirits by symbolizing the good things in life and the sender’s wishes to remember those good things even in hard or sad times.
Funeral baskets can be purchased from a favorite online retailer or put together and personalized toward the needs of the bereaved. Some families may need their spirits lifted with a basket of personal health items like teas, bath lotions and warm shawls to remind them that you wish them comfort. Others may appreciate a basket of items that display the hobbies or favorite foods, treats or colors of the deceased. These baskets let the grieving know that they are not alone in their feelings of loss; others too remember the life and love that has been lost. While flowers should usually be delivered to the funeral home, church or gravesite, funeral baskets can be sent directly to the bereaved at their residence during the time of mourning preceding a funeral service.
In the wake of tragedy, people come together to comfort, console and share. Gifts of beautiful, meaningful things like flowers and gift baskets are a traditional extension of those feelings. Talk to your florist or online funeral arrangement retailer for help finding the right sympathy gift for your lost loved one and their grieving family.
~Ben Anton, 2008
Condolence Sympathy Gifts and memorial baskets are traditionally given to the bereaved by those that love and care about them. Find food and gift baskets for the grieving at Sympathy Baskets online.
More infomation at WikipediaThe Five Stage of Grief
Losing someone close to us is never easy. In her 1969 book titled, “On Death and Dying”, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross lists the five stages of grief that most of us experience when we go through this situation. By learning about these stages, we can begin coping with death more effectively, knowing that each stage will bring us closer to the end of the healing process. Some people can get stuck in one of the first four stages, and need a bit of help to continue on with the process. When you understand how the process is supposed to go, you will be better equipped to recognize if you need to seek help or if you are making your way through the steps sufficiently on your own.
1. Denial and Isolation
When we first receive devastating news like the death of a loved one, our first reaction may be to deny the truth of the matter and withdraw from our friends and family. Denial and isolation can take place over a matter of months in some cases.
2. Anger
Anger is a perfectly normal method for coping with death, and is the second stage of the grieving process, according to Kubler-Ross. You may be angry with yourself for being unable to prevent the loss, angry with doctors who could not save your family member, or angry with the person who died for abandoning you and creating so much pain. Some people get angry with God because they believe He should have done something to prevent the death from occurring.
3. Bargaining
Sometimes people’s anger with God will turn into a bargaining chip. You may try to negotiate with God, promising to help others or live a better life if He will take your pain away and reverse the loss that you are experiencing.
4. Depression
The anger has faded away by now, leaving numbness and despondency in its wake. That doesn’t mean that the anger is gone for good; it may be simmering still just under the surface, where it can explode at the slightest provocation. This may be a time where you feel hopeless and unable to make plans or dream about the future. You may find yourself wallowing in feeling of self pity and an inability to enjoy the things in life that you once loved. Some people have trouble breaking out of this stage, leading them to seek professional help in coping with death.
5. Acceptance
The pain is still there, but it is easier to deal with. The sadness still exists, but you now feel somewhat optimistic that you can turn the experience into something positive. Acceptance doesn’t mean to simply grin and bear it, but to accept the loss and prepare to move forward with your life. This is the stage where true personal growth can occur.
Coping with death is one of the most challenging experiences anyone will ever have to face. These five stages are typically the process that most people will go through to deal with the loss, heal and move on with their lives.
Nathan Martyn is webmaster of The Eternal Portal, a place to create online memorials, grief support forums, articles and condolence guest books.
More infomation at WikipediaOnline Mourning
In the world of Internet connections and email communications, keeping in touch has become much simpler. This is even true when a loved one dies and we want to share our grief with friends and family members across the miles. Online mourning has made this possible with tools to create an online memorial of your loved one and broadcast the service across Internet connections. While it may sound strange at first to pay tribute to someone dear to us through modern technology, it truly is wonderful when hearts can come together across the globe to grieve and remember. Whether you choose to broadcast the memorial service online or set up a virtual tribute that visitors can come to, the memory of that special person can live on.
Online Funerals
We have watched numerous funerals of great people on television for decades; now we can commemorate our own family members by broadcasting the memorial service over the Internet. This is the perfect solution for friends and family members who would like to pay their respects but cannot travel to the service for whatever reason. You can hire the services of a company that will broadcast the service you plan with a local mortuary from anywhere in the world. Only those that receive the password from you will be able to view the service, to ensure that your privacy is kept secure. Some companies will also offer the option to purchase CD-ROMS of the service that you can mail to friends and family or treasure as a keepsake of your own.
Virtual Memorials
Another way to honor the memory of a loved one is to create a virtual memorial that others can go online to see and contribute to. Some companies will allow you to create a basic tribute through their business free of charge. This may include text about the person and a guestbook that others can sign. For a fee, you can add photos, a slide show and custom pages that will make your memorial unique and special. You can add a variety of backgrounds and even audio for your guests. Some sites will also offer a visitor counter so that you can keep track of how many people visit the site. Many will also provide the option of editing whenever you like to keep the tribute up to date.
Remembering Pets
When a pet dies, sometimes it is hard to know what to do to commemorate that special friend’s passing. You can also create a virtual memorial of your pet, complete with photos and text about what your companion meant to you. Many pet owners have found that simply having a way to express the grief was a key component in the healing process. Some of the websites that provide this service will also include support for those who are grieving the loss of a pet.
Losing someone you love is never easy, but now there are even more ways to keep that person’s memory alive. Whether you go online with the funeral service or create a lasting tribute virtually, memories can live on.
Nathan Martyn is webmaster of The Eternal Portal, a place to create online memorials with full multi-media, free online obituaries, forums, articles, resources for dealing with grief and condolence guest books.
More infomation at Wikipedia