After the Memorial

Pennymac02
Pennymac02 Member Posts: 332 Member
in Grief and Bereavement #1
Mikes memorial was on Sunday. I was afraid it would feel like a final "punctuation" on our life together, but it gave me a lot of peace, instead. A huge crowd of friends and family came to pay their respects, including about 20 motorcyclists who rode in as a tribute. All in all, it was quite beautiful.

Mikes ashes are going to be buried in his famly plot in Nebraska, and our home is in Florida. I went to find a small keepsake urn to keep some of the ashes with me before I travel to NE in the spring for the interment. Instead, I found an amazing thing called memorial chimes. On a beautiful set of hand tuned windchimes, there's a small brass urn/keepsake area that allows you to put some of the ashes in. Its a very small amount, and its screwed closed with a gasket to protect it from the elements.

At any rate, my boys hung them up on a bracket outside of the bedroom window. When a slight breeze blows, they chime with the most amazing, musical, almost majical sound! I hear them in the evening, and like to think of Mike moving the chimes. They are quite different, beautifully tuned, and bring me a lot of peace when I listen to them. It's a much better solution for me that having an urn on the mantle or shelf. If anyone is interested, I can give you the name of the company that makes them. My mother in law has requested a set; so it can't be too "hippy chick" if she thinks its a good idea.
Penny

Comments

  • hope0310
    hope0310 Member Posts: 320
    #2
    I am so happy that the
    I am so happy that the memorial gave you peace, that is wonderful!! And the motorcyles, love it!! They did that at my fathers a few years ago, very emotional.

    I love the chime idea for the ashes, please share the company name. We split moms 3 way, me my brother and stepfather, so far she is on my nightstand still in the burgandy velvet bag. This is pretty cool too....a man I work with wants some of his ashes mixed in the soil and a tree planted on his families land. Different.....he said his dogs would keep him watered!! Guess you have to find the humor!

    Someone posted a link to this in another post I read this morning, I think it is beautiful and want to share with.

    Be good to yourself Penny......one day at a time!

    Death is nothing at all
    I have only slipped away into the next room
    I am I and you are you
    Whatever we were to each other
    That we are still
    Call me by my old familiar name
    Speak to me in the easy way you always used
    Put no difference into your tone
    Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
    Laugh as we always laughed
    At the little jokes we always enjoyed together
    Play, smile, think of me, pray for me
    Let my name be ever the household word that it always was
    Let it be spoken without effort
    Without the ghost of a shadow in it
    Life means all that it ever meant
    It is the same as it ever was
    There is absolute unbroken continuity
    What is death but a negligible accident?
    Why should I be out of mind
    Because I am out of sight?
    I am waiting for you for an interval
    Somewhere very near
    Just around the corner
    All is well.
    Nothing is past; nothing is lost
    One brief moment and all will be as it was before
    How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

    Canon Henry Scott-Holland, 1847-1918, Canon of St Paul's Cathedral
  • skipper85
    skipper85 Member Posts: 229
    #3
    Keepsake Chimes

    Hi Penny - I'm having a sad day today but felt better when I read your post about the chimes. I have a keepsake mini urn on my desk (so Paul could give me business advice :0 But I really like the idea of the chimes. I would love the address. Please PM me or post it.

    Thanks,

    Skipper
  • Pennymac02
    Pennymac02 Member Posts: 332 Member
    #4
    Googled Memorial Chimes, Woodstock
    Woodstock Reflections - Memorial Chime, Large

    RML
    New!
    Honor your dearly departed by placing ashes or other small momento in the attached keepsake urn.

    I found out that the owner of the company is also a musician, they have chimes tuned to play the notes of amazing grace. Anyway, the company name is "Woodstock Chimes,Instruments of Nature" Let me know if you can't find it.
    Penny
  • grandmafay
    grandmafay Member Posts: 1,633 Member
    #5
    Peace
    I am glad you have found some peace. Doug's memorial service was also a source of peace long after the ceremony. It was exactly what he wanted. Be prepared for some bad days, though. They will come, sometimes for no reason you can think of. Accept them. I had days when I just wanted to wallow in my sorrow. I can tell you that jelly beans and vinegar potato chips don't help. I lived on that combination for three days once until i pulled myself together. Not a good combination. The chimes sound wonderful. I am glad you found them. Little things and small steps forward help us keep going. Blessings, Fay
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #6
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • 3Mana
    3Mana Member Posts: 811
    #7
    hope0310 said:

    I am so happy that the
    I am so happy that the memorial gave you peace, that is wonderful!! And the motorcyles, love it!! They did that at my fathers a few years ago, very emotional.

    I love the chime idea for the ashes, please share the company name. We split moms 3 way, me my brother and stepfather, so far she is on my nightstand still in the burgandy velvet bag. This is pretty cool too....a man I work with wants some of his ashes mixed in the soil and a tree planted on his families land. Different.....he said his dogs would keep him watered!! Guess you have to find the humor!

    Someone posted a link to this in another post I read this morning, I think it is beautiful and want to share with.

    Be good to yourself Penny......one day at a time!

    Death is nothing at all
    I have only slipped away into the next room
    I am I and you are you
    Whatever we were to each other
    That we are still
    Call me by my old familiar name
    Speak to me in the easy way you always used
    Put no difference into your tone
    Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
    Laugh as we always laughed
    At the little jokes we always enjoyed together
    Play, smile, think of me, pray for me
    Let my name be ever the household word that it always was
    Let it be spoken without effort
    Without the ghost of a shadow in it
    Life means all that it ever meant
    It is the same as it ever was
    There is absolute unbroken continuity
    What is death but a negligible accident?
    Why should I be out of mind
    Because I am out of sight?
    I am waiting for you for an interval
    Somewhere very near
    Just around the corner
    All is well.
    Nothing is past; nothing is lost
    One brief moment and all will be as it was before
    How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

    Canon Henry Scott-Holland, 1847-1918, Canon of St Paul's Cathedral

    Hope,
    This is really pretty! Thanks for posting it.
    The idea for the wind chimes is really neat isn't it? I was just thinking about getting a heart necklace with something special engraved on it. Tom & I both have crypts, so no container with ashes. Thanks again! Carole
  • neverquit
    neverquit Member Posts: 220 Member
    #8
    Peace and comfort
    Penny, So glad to hear that Mike's memorial gave you such peace, that was my experience too. The motorcycle tribute was a beautiful thing for your friends to have done in honor of your husband. And the wind chines with the keepsake is something I had never heard of or seen; what a comfort the chimes must bring you. Thanks for that information. I wish you and your family the healing and peace you deserve.
  • skipper85
    skipper85 Member Posts: 229
    #9
    Pennymac02 said:

    Googled Memorial Chimes, Woodstock
    Woodstock Reflections - Memorial Chime, Large

    RML
    New!
    Honor your dearly departed by placing ashes or other small momento in the attached keepsake urn.

    I found out that the owner of the company is also a musician, they have chimes tuned to play the notes of amazing grace. Anyway, the company name is "Woodstock Chimes,Instruments of Nature" Let me know if you can't find it.
    Penny

    Thanks

    I'm definitely going to look into the chimes. Hope things are going okay. Remember take one day or even one hour at a time.

    Skipper

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