Several of my friends and colleagues passed away from cancer last year, I'm sorry to say. Although attending their funerals or memorial services was heartbreaking, it also gave me a chance to celebrate each of their lives. I was able to learn more about Debbie, Ken, and Jeremy, reflect on their special qualities and contributions, and trade stories, memories, and even a few laughs with others who cared about them. Funerals and memorial services can be extremely comforting to those who are left behind.
Sometimes, though, we don't have a chance to be part of a loved one's official goodbye ceremony. We may not have been notified, or we simply weren't able to get there. In the past, that might have meant being alone with one's loss. But today, the Internet allows people who are grieving to connect in various ways.
They can, for example, post comments on funeral guest books hosted by Legacy.com or express themselves through social networking communities like Facebook. There are also several memorial websites that allow people anywhere in the world to honor their loved ones, such as Valley of Life, Your Tribute, Christian Memorials, and Unending Legacy.
I recently learned about a new online memorial service called SympathyTree that has some interesting features. It was created by a couple, Louise and Monte Zweben, as a virtual place "where people can come together to grieve, heal, and comfort each other for generations to come."
Their site enables people to build customized memorials that are "elegant, unique, and highly personalized," as Louise told me. These memorials can recount the person's life story and feature photos, videos, and messages added by visitors.
Users may create the online memorial for free, but they pay a yearly fee to share it with friends and family. They can upload contacts from their address books to alert people about funeral services or related events, and they can select a charity for donations in lieu of flowers. Like some of its counterparts, SympathyTree offers a resource guide with information about managing grief, planning a memorial service, and other topics.
As someone who believes in the power of goodbyes, this and other online memorial sites are encouraging steps. They allow survivors to not only reminisce and celebrate their loved ones, but to enrich their own lives by learning about those who have passed on.
If you're interested in learning more, here is a link to SympathyTree.
