With the pandemic came dramatic shifts in the way we honor life’s most important moments. Birthdays, holidays, and life celebrations took place simultaneously at home and across the country. Since then, families have grown to appreciate how wonderful that aspect of the new norm is. In this article, we will explore three reasons why online memorials will remain an option for the foreseeable future.
Before online memorials were “a thing”…
At first, the sentiment toward online memorials might have read something like, “Unfortunately, we won’t be able to gather. We’ll do a Zoom meeting or something instead.” Oof. It sounds so disappointing! But you can’t blame anyone for the fact that the term Zoom meeting was intrinsically linked to long, stuffy conference calls and sincere struggles with the mute button.
Fast forward to 2022 and we have collectively redefined the term. We now know that Zoom meetings allow more people to gather in more meaningful ways than ever before.
I. Togetherness, Made Easy
Travel
In almost every family there is at least one member whose journey to a traditional funeral would require a plane ticket and an Uber. Maybe that person is you. Or maybe your entire family is spread from coast to coast. One of the largest benefits of an online memorial is that they provide neutral ground for friends & family to gather. The pressure to choose between travel expenses and participation is relieved for attendees. And the pressure to consider moving the service to a more equidistant location is relieved for the planning family member.
Weather
Waking up on the day of a funeral is always hard; and is typically something we spend time preparing ourselves for. Which would make waking up to a snowstorm, dangerous heatwave, or flooded streets one of life’s more heartbreaking moments. Online memorials were born of the environmental uncertainty we experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. And although we don’t know that a virus, specifically, will continue to affect our daily lives, we do know that the world will always carry a certain amount of uncertainty. Online memorials provide a reliable, safe space of connectivity and healing in the face of uncertainty.
II. Grieving Process, Personalized
The thought of stepping into a funeral home is absolutely cringe-worthy for some. For others, the idea of grieving in front of others is almost unbearable. We all grieve in our own ways. Online memorials allow those who prefer to handle memorializing their loved one in their own way to do so. The ability to prepare oneself for the service in the quiet of their home and take a personal moment of silence after the service has finished can be an invaluable psychological benefit to your friends and family.
III. Technology, Adopted
Children, grandparents, and many in between have had the opportunity to explore Zoom in some capacity or another in the past two years. The general consensus amongst even the least tech-savvy people is that Zoom is “easy enough.” Click a link and you’re in.
An Environment of Honor
The benefit of online memorials is infinitely larger than “convenience.” Your loved ones- both the mourners and the one being honored- are truly respected in an environment that is highly accessible in today’s modern world.
If you would like to learn more about how Lighten can help you plan an online memorial, click here.
