Sentimental objects hold a peculiar power over us. Depending on our history and our memories of the past, it’s possible to imbue an object with emotion. These items become a shortcut to a different time or serve as a reminder of a particular person or moment.
Somehow, we understand the importance of these links intuitively. It’s common for people to have one or two sentimental objects they value sincerely, and wouldn’t part with for the world. A lock of hair keepsake is a traditional way to literally carry a piece of a loved one close to your heart, and one that will never go out of style.
Read on to find out why a lock of hair is such a unique keepsake, and how to best keep it safe along with your memories.
We’re complicated when it comes to our emotions, and dealing with them isn’t always as straightforward as we might like. Among all of the emotions that are difficult to shoulder, grief and loss are among the most painful to endure. It’s a long road, and sometimes the journey feels as if it’ll last a lifetime.
Coping with the loss of a loved one isn’t an exact science. The love we feel for someone is often impossible to describe, so understanding the complexity of the emotions we feel at their loss is similarly difficult to manage. Enduring negative emotion is one of our talents as human beings, though, and we’ve developed some interesting strategies to cheer ourselves up.
One of the most popular strategies to blunt the pain of losing a close friend or family member is to remember them often and fondly. Just because they’re no longer with us doesn’t mean they’re incapable of putting a smile on our faces. Sometimes a memory isn’t enough, however, and we feel compelled to assign meaning to an object.
This way, each time the object is seen, worn, or held in our hand, a type of door opens inside us. With this opening comes cherished memories, and the act of keeping the item close honors whoever we’ve dedicated it to. The act of carrying a lock of hair is a heavy one, and a decision not taken lightly, such is the power of sentimental value in our lives.
From an early age, we’re all taught that life doesn’t last forever, that it’s something precious and fleeting. Over time, we experience the truth of the fact as the world continues to turn. Before long we attend our first funerals, and the idea of death grows and gains importance as we begin to understand the implications of its permanence.
There is no return. People are rarely ever afforded a glimpse beyond the veil, and if they are, it’s impossible to substantiate their claims. The mystery of what happens to us when we die is a part of the sentimentality we feel; we simply can’t help but wonder.
Losing someone feels somehow unresolved because we can’t know for sure if we’ll ever see them again. All we can do in their stead is hope, ponder, imagine, and guess at any number of outcomes. During bouts of consideration regarding our own mortality and the uncertainty that comes along with it, a token linking us to who we’ve lost can be a helpful anchor to keep us grounded.
The natural world we live in is one of constant death and rebirth. The cycle consists of a kind of reliable balance. The system perpetuates itself, and we’re stuck in the middle trying to enjoy the ride.
Our bodies are perishable, and without a spirit or spark of life to pilot them, they eventually fall apart and turn to goo. This typically means keeping a literal part of someone’s body as a keepsake isn’t feasible, for numerous reasons. Fortunately, hair follicles are miraculously robust, and while they’re still biodegradable, they’ll retain their form indefinitely in the right conditions.
If the idea is to craft a personal keepsake such as a piece of jewelry or art in honor of the deceased, the inclusion of a lock of hair makes a lot of sense. Each strand of hair is a piece of their physical form, frozen in time, a perfect link to the person you remember so fondly. To carry them with you shortens their distance from you, in both spiritual, mental, and physical terms.
While nurturing this connection, it can grow and act as a balm against grief. Before long, your keepsake will begin to represent much more than it did to begin with as it collects your thoughts and feelings. The close association between the item and your loved one will help to bring them to the forefront of your mind in vivid detail.
A keepsake is just about as personal and meaningful as an item can be. This means your own idea of what a keepsake should be is as individual as you are, and there are no wrong answers. If a lock of hair isn’t your idea of a perfect keepsake, there are other options available to you.
A lock of hair is a traditional favorite because it doesn’t change over time, and retains a recognizable form and color. Other methods of creating a meaningful memento follow a similar strategy, in taking the ashes of a cremated loved one and integrating them into a keepsake. People feel a connection to cremation urns for the same reason they do locks of hair.
Carrying a locket containing a lock of hair is simple, and the message is understood universally. If you’d prefer for your sentimental item not to be so obvious to other people, there’s no reason anyone should know at all. Options using ashes are often incredibly subtle, and afford a level of creativity for inclusion within a memento that can’t be beat.
A keepsake containing something so personal as a lock of hair or ashes from a cremation is undeniably special. It’s special not because it’s expensive, rare, or desirable; it’s special because of the meaning you attach to it personally. To this effect, it makes sense to keep the true meaning of a memento private, and not to draw undue attention to its sentimental value.
Ashes can be incorporated in many ways into jewelry, depending on the method you prefer. Similar to lockets, there are cremation rings available, which provide a small void to store whatever you’d like safely within it. These are popularly used to carry a small amount of ashes, soil, or even a lock of hair.
If you prefer not to wear your memento, an ornamental piece of unique art might be the right choice. Taking the death of someone you’re going to miss dearly and turning their loss into something beautiful is a poignant move. Rather than succumbing to grief, a piece of art containing the ashes of a deceased loved one will continue to bring joy and positive remembrance for years to come.
Death needn’t be something that always invokes doom and gloom. An artistic keepsake seeks to speak all the unsaid words regarding death and the feelings we struggle to voice. The addition of mortal remains in the creation of a meaningful art piece lends a unique aspect to the finished article.
When thoughts of your loved one become overwhelming, some quiet reflection with a piece of art containing their essence can make all the difference. Sometimes even the smallest link to those we miss is enough to rekindle gratitude for the time we had with them. Each moment spent in contemplation with a unique personal memorial teaches appreciation and eases grief.
There’s nothing more important in this life than family. The people whose blood we share will always be with us, in one form or another. Although it’s painful to lose them, a life spent without their influence would be much poorer, despite the high price of losing them.
Over time, family history begins to fade into the background. Connections are forgotten, and memories become hazy. Without a memorial of some kind, it’s all too easy to forget our ties altogether.
Creating keepsakes and mementos of each person is a great way to preserve the past so it doesn’t slip away from us. In time, our keepsakes will be all that’s left of us. These keepsakes allow future generations to wonder about their past, the people who came before them, and the gossamer links that connect us together.
Losing a loved one is a tragic experience and something we all have to deal with eventually. We’re not in control of who we lose, or when or where it happens, but we are in control of how we react. Rather than cursing our misfortune and wallowing in loss, the death of a loved one can just as easily be a celebration of life.
At Lone Star Cremation, we understand how important it is to hold on to a piece of our loved ones and honor them in our own way with a personalized memorial.
If you have any questions about a lock of hair keepsake idea, or anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’d love to hear from you.
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