Our grief for a loss is as unique as the relationship we had with the person who’s died. There’s no right or wrong way to grieve, and no deadline for the process of mourning. It’s up to each of us to find our way through the experience in our own time.

So we were pleased to hear from customers around the world that Memories online memorials have helped them grieve the death of a loved one. Here’s what they said.

Making room for emotions

One customer explained that the online memorial helps make room for them to express their emotions.

"At the beginning I was going [to the memorial] every day,” they explained. “It was really, really helpful... and I mean, I still get very emotional when I read it. So I'm like, well, if I want to go cry, I'll go look at that."

Finding space to express emotions like sadness, disbelief or frustration after a death is difficult for many of us. So we were pleased to learn that online memorials meet that need.

Of course, the emotions people experience around the memorial change as their mourning progresses...

Holding onto happy memories

Eventually, many of us come to remember with fond nostalgia the one we lost. The online memorial can meet a different purpose at that time.

"Thank you for allowing me to keep my memories of my mum at my fingertips on my phone,” said one customer. “I love to have the ability to reminisce just when I need a pick-up."

With photos, videos and other memories coming together on the memorial, many people find it comforting to be able to scroll through their loved one's life story whenever they miss them, wherever they may be.

Celebrating their life and legacy

We often hear the words “celebration of life”, so it's no surprise that that's exactly what an online memorial represents for many people.

"I think if dad was able to see his life mapped out like that, he’d be incredibly proud,” revealed one customer. "He’d gone from basically being orphaned to being a business owner and a family man, and really well-respected. I think that journey needs to be documented. His legacy lives on for us.”

For this customer, the action of preserving evidence of what his father had achieved — not just for his own family, but for future generations to enjoy as well — really matters.

Creating the memorial was an act of love and respect for their loved one, and the time they spent doing that was time dedicated to his place in their hearts and lives.

Reconnecting with your roots

A death in the family can raise issues among those who survive. With emotions already intensified by grief, this kind of difficulty can escalate, and be extremely difficult to overcome. So we were heartened to hear that this is another area where online memorials can be helpful.

“There were family differences that had to be resolved, but reflecting and seeing these photos online is a wonderful way to just bring us back to what's really important,” commented one customer. “So, the service that you provide is helpful on many deep universal levels for families.”

An online memorial can also simply bring together dispersed family members in a way that lets them all participate equally in farewelling the one who’s died. That opportunity to reconnect with family after a death is truly beyond value.

Honoring them, 24x7

These days, more and more people are choosing to cremate their loved ones and scatter the ashes. That means there’s no physical location to visit after the funeral has passed.

"We don't have a graveyard where we could tell people that, you know, that's where his body was rested," explained one customer. “So, let's just put the word out that there was this great man who we all loved, and this is what people thought about what he did. I feel that that's a befitting way of honouring his memory."

Clearly, there’s solace to be found at a virtual location where family and friends can come to celebrate the loved one they’ve lost, especially when no physical memorial exists.

Could an online memorial help you?

If you can relate to anything our customers have said here, hopefully you’ll know you’re not alone in feeling the way you do. But it’s also a sign that you might benefit from creating an online memorial for your loved one.