What is remembrance and why is it important?

Remembrance is the act of remembering someone or something. It is often used to refer to commemorating the lives of soldiers and civilians who have served in conflict. Remembrance can also be the action of remembering, celebrating, and mourning the life of a loved one.

Remembrance is important because it acknowledges the reality of death, the emotions associated with death, the relationship that has shifted from physical presence to memory, changes in personal self-identity, the search for new meaning in life, and ways to receive the loving support of those around you. 

There are ways to help move from grieving to remembrance. Funerals, cremation services, and burials are remembrance rituals that can help say goodbye to a loved one are traditional ways to move from more immediate grief to the long-term work of remembering a lost loved one.

Another method is keeping a physical memento. Again, traditionally, keeping a loved one’s possessions or ashes long after they’ve passed has allowed individuals to confront their loss head-on by remembering and appreciating the fact that the person has died. Another way to find closure is making a “memory box,” a tangible collection of items that remind us of someone in the things they carried or touched.

People desire to be remembered in society with their lives, and want to leave their mark. They do so in the hugs, smiles, and advice that they have given us. Still, some of those who are grieving can pull away from or try to distance themselves from what they are feeling. But this is not a good thing, as the process of grieving and remembrance is important in dealing with the loss of a loved one.

By refusing to face our loss, we miss the chance to find closure and come to terms with reality by moving on with our lives. We want to remember those we’ve loved and lost because it is important for us to mend, heal, live, and never forget.

Breathe life into the dead, talk about them, write about them, and keep them with you. The action of remembrance brings clarity that they were real and live on in your memory, making the memories more tangible. 

— Jisu Lee