Here Are Some Ideas to Help You Create a Unique and Special Memorial

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After you've lost someone close to you, creating a special and unique memorial may be one your main goals. Of course, you want your loved one to be memorialised in the nicest way possible -- but how do you know what to say on the headstone inscription? Whilst every situation is different, you may find the following ideas helpful as you plan the inscription for your loved one's headstone.

The Essential Inscriptions

Headstones generally include a couple of pieces of essential information, including: 

  • The full name of the deceased: the middle name and/or the maiden name can be included as well if desired.
  • The dates of birth and death: you can specify exact dates or only months and years. Some headstones contain only the years of birth and death, although this is fairly rare today.
  • A short descriptive phrase: Most headstones include a short descriptive phrase under the name and dates, for example, "Beloved Father, Uncle, and Friend to Many," or "Veteran, Mother and Daughter."

The Optional Inscriptions

The other inscriptions on the headstone are completely optional. They can be customised according to the wishes of the deceased as set forth in their will, or according to the wishes of the family. If your loved one didn't leave behind any instructions regarding what to say, you might want to consider the following ideas. 

  • Religious text: if your loved one was religious -- or if they simply took great comfort from certain religious texts -- you might wish to include an inscription of their favourite text. Whilst the text doesn't necessarily have to be about death or life beyond death, some people find that those are especially appropriate for headstones. Any meaningful religious text -- especially if it was special to your departed loved one -- can be a great choice. Religious text on a headstone can be a source of comfort for those left behind, as well.
  • Poetry or literature: if a particular book or poem was meaningful to your departed loved one, you and many others probably think of that as part of their personality. Adding that poetry or literature passage that they loved can be a good way to individualise their headstone, and it can help others to remember the special things about your loved one as well. 
  • Information about their life: whilst the description under the name and date is generally a very brief one, you have the option to also create a more lengthy description lower on the headstone. For example, you could say "Mary was a world traveller who never met a stranger. She was a highly recognised member of the local community and often volunteered to help those who were less fortunate. Her family and friends are grateful and honoured to have shared her life." This is the area where you can add any special details that you want everyone to know about. 

As you can see, there are many options for making your loved one's headstone special. Whilst deciding what will work best, speak to a stonework expert who can give you specific guidelines regarding the size, style and amount of words that you can use.  

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27 February 2018

How General Contractors Can Help You

Last year, I noticed that my home was very cold and draughty. I called in a team of general contractors and asked them to assess the property. The problem was with my windows. The window frames were pretty old and they let a lot of cold air into my home. The contractor also found a problem with my HVAC system, which was also causing problems with the circulation of air around my home. The contractors carried out repair work and now my home is nice and warm. I hope this blog helps you to understand how a team of general contractors can help you.