Memorial Service Ideas | Garden Theme

Memorial Service Ideas

Chapel Of Light

  

The Chapel of Light offers indoor niches in a beautiful setting. The niches are all glass front so that you may decorate with pictures and/or mementos. Generous use of stained glass and natural skylight within the design of the Chapel of Light evokes a feeling of peacefulness while visiting. The indoor chapel is equipped with security locks that require an entry code. Each purchaser is given this code.

Cemeteries: A Walk Back Into The Past

I have a confession to make; I like hanging out in old cemeteries. It's not that I have a morbid fascination with death mind you, I just enjoy spending time there. When I was younger, cemeteries were an oasis for me, a place of escape from the insanity of summer in the city. As I have grown older, I now enjoy just walking through, looking at the stones and wondering about the people that now lie in the ground, but at one time lived and loved and cried and did all the things that people do. Growing up, I was surrounded by cemeteries. In my childhood home of Southwest Baltimore, the cemeteries are old and existed long before the homes and neighborhoods came to be. One of the largest cemeteries in the area is Loudin Park Cemetery.

Loudin Park Cemetery was founded in 1853 and encompasses 350 acres of real estate in the Southwestern part of Baltimore City. It's the final resting place for such notables as H.L. Mencken; the famous sage, journalist, critic, writer, etc., from Baltimore. Mary Pickersgill; the flag maker for the banner that flew over Ft. McHenry, and the inspiration behind Francis Scott Key's 'Star Spangled Banner' is also buried there. Another notable is Charles Joseph Bonaparte; Presidential Cabinet Secretary and the youngest grandson of Jerome Bonaparte, who was the youngest brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. Loudin Park is also rich in Civil War history. It's the final resting place of 2,300 Union soldiers and about 600 Confederates consisting of officers as well as foot soldiers.

While it's interesting to take note of prominent people buried in my backyard, I'm equally fascinated by the stories that the headstones reveal about the common folk. For instance, I noticed on one of my walks that there seemed to be an inordinate amount of deaths among children in the time frame between 1918 and 1920. In numerous cases, I observed that several children from the same family had died within this time frame, and usually in the same year. Curious as to the reason for this, I checked and found that one of the great flu epidemics had occurred during the year 1918 that had killed about 675,000 people in the United States alone. This epidemic had been especially hard on the very young, and in many cases the entire family had been wiped out! Understanding the story behind the dates, one can only imagine what the families of those dying must have felt to watch those around them succumb to this disease.

Another interesting aspect of Loudin Park Cemetery is that back at the turn of the century remains were often transported to the cemetery by the nearby Pennsylvania railroad or by the Baltimore hearse trolley known as the 'Delores'. The trolley would deliver the remains to the gate where they would then be transported by horse and carriage to the grave site or by the cemetery's own trolley which ran from one end of the cemetery to the other. Even today, you can still see the remnants of tracks covered by brush and woods running through the middle of the cemetery. Loudin Park cemetery is also the only cemetery known to have operated its own trolley system. The trolley ran one mile and transported visitors through its spacious grounds. It operated from 1905-1931 when it was replaced by the bus.

Loudin Park was also used by local residents as a park and picnic area during this time frame. City residents would hop on the trolley and spend the day at the cemetery, sitting under the big old trees or down by the lake. During the height of its popularity, 2,000 people a week would make the trip to the cemetery, with the majority visiting on the weekends.

For most of us, a trip to the cemetery is a somber occasion. It's a time to recall loved one's who have passed on, and we usually do this by placing a flower on the grave on holidays such as Easter and Christmas. For me however, it's a 'walk back into the past'. With my brother having recently completed an extensive family history, I have become aware of several ancestors that I never knew existed. One's like little William, a great, great, great, great uncle, who died of the flu when he was just two. Now when I visit their graves, they are not just a grave marker but a connection to my past. One day in the future, someone will take a walk back into the past, and get to know you and me. What will that story tell?

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Letting The Sun Shine In Daily Affirmations

When someone you love dies, grieving that loss can take a long time. As in any emotional journey, there are rough spots to be weathered and moments when you catch a glimpse of a sunnier horizon. We want to be your daily companion, helping you to let the sunshine back into your life. These daily emails provide encouragement and gentle reminders of the recovery process. Interested? Click HERE for more information.

- "Your daily affirmation emails have given me hope for a better tomorrow." - Emily

- "Your messages have helped me reflect the life my grandfather lived and have helped me heal." - Dan

How To Start Coping With The Death Of A Loved One

Even in the immediate aftermath of a great loss, we must embrace life through some basic survival techniques.

Step 1: Accept the inevitable
Accept that death is inevitable. Allow yourself to feel the pain knowing that the departed would not want you to suffer long.

Step 2: Avoid big decisions
Avoid making big decisions, except for those concerning arrangements for the person who has passed.

Step 3: Lean on others
Lean on others to provide what you cannot.

Step 4: Read about grief
Read about the stages of grief to alleviate fears that what you are feeling is unnatural. Don’t take misplaced anxiety or anger out on others.

Step 5: Plan gatherings
Plan for anniversaries, birthdays, and holidays, allowing family members to celebrate a life, using music, stories, or family traditions to provide comfort.

Step 6: Care for yourself
Care for yourself by maintaining a balanced diet and regular sleep. You may have lost energy and may have trouble concentrating.

Step 7: Rejoin humanity
Rejoin humanity in the weeks and months afterwards. Give yourself enough time to get up and running again.

Did You Know?
Did you know? The Victorians allowed two to four years to grieve after a death.

How To Deliver A Eulogy | Public Speaking

So, how do you deliver a eulogy?

This is a solemn occasion. It's obviously sad typically. But you are still there to give a presentation. It's not the time to get up and just start blubbering away.

It's not really helping people remember the person who just passed away any more effectively. Then it's about you if it's just you can't keep it together.

What I would recommend is focus on one or two of the qualities that people loved the most about that person. And then tell a story or two that really dramatizes that person's warmth. How they cared for people. What they contributed to the world, to their family and their friends.

Focus on that. You're not there to give the consummate biography of the whole person's life. You're not there to give an unbiased objective view of the person's life.

You're there to put a spotlight on what was special about this person. Why people loved this person and what you'll miss the most. If you do that you will give a great eulogy.

And I would recommend don't memorize it. It's already a tense situation. That tension is going to make it harder for you to recall. I wouldn't get up and read a big speech. If you want to have a few notes that's fine.

But realize this is not a test. This isn't a business PowerPoint presentation. This is a time for you to share from your heart what was special about this person. To make the other people there have fond memories.

Do that and it will be the best you can do in a tough situation.

What Not to Say to Someone Who is Grieving | Kay Warren

It is hard to know what to say to someone who is grieving. Kay Warren shares some practical advice for what to say and how to support people going through grief and loss.

Scottish Bagpipes - Funeral Song (Amazing Grace)

Scottish Bagpipes - Funeral Song (Amazing Grace)

How Grief Affects Your Brain And What To Do About It | Better | NBC News

Understanding grief is an important part of healing after a loved one dies

An Angel Lived Among Us

"An angel lived among us,

A gift from God above.

She showered us with kindness

And shared with us her love."

~Author Unknown