Take Time to Remember
Memorializing a Loved One Through Social Media
Losing a loved one is never an easy process to go through, but unfortunately, it's something we all face at some stage in our lives. The finality of death can often be difficult to grasp, and many people find the process of grieving to be a harrowing experience.
Memorializing and celebrating the life of a person is a good way to help overcome the trauma of losing them. Social media has had a significant impact on how people memorialize lost loved ones, transforming it from a solo practice to a collective ritual. Rose Hill Cemetery presents some tips you need to know.
Tending to a Loved One's Assets
The death of a loved one can bring on many unexpected duties to attend for family members. The probate process can sometimes be long and arduous, and it often comes as a surprise to those who haven't previously dealt with it.
When it comes to selling their house, it's best to hire a real estate agent with previous probate experience. Oftentimes, the probate court will have to issue a certificate allowing the house to be sold. This process is usually overseen by the estate executor (the individual assigned to settling the estate of the deceased).
Using Social Media to Memorialize a Loved One
Social media stores all of our information, including conversations with others, photos we've posted, and places we've visited. It provides us with many unique opportunities to remember our loved ones in ways that we weren't previously able to.
Letting Friends and Family Know
When someone has passed, it's important to make those who knew them aware of it. We can never know the extent of relationships people may have had with them, so letting everyone in their network know gives them a chance to mourn.
If your loved one has a social media page, it can be used to track down their friends and colleagues to let them know what happened. In most cases, going through people in their friend list and sending a private message is the best way to do this.
Creating a Memorial Page
Memorial pages are a place for friends and family to share memories about their loved one. It provides those grieving with an online community to mourn and remember them. One positive aspect of having a spot in cyberspace dedicated to your loved one's memory is that it can be accessed at any time and from anywhere. A 2012 study revealed that people use these pages as a place to share memories and connect with those they've lost.
Old Conversations
Social media holds all the data of our past conversations unless we otherwise remove it. Looking through the old conversations with your passed loved one can be a nice way of enjoying their company even after they're gone. You might find the simplest things they said to be thought-provoking. Looking at their photos and listening to voice memos can create a very vivid image of their liveliness.
Last Thoughts
After a loved one has passed away, their social media profile still holds their conversations, posts, and pictures. It allows grieving family and friends a new opportunity to memorialize lost loved ones that goes beyond simply visiting their graves.
~ Camille Johnson
