Ideas About What to Write on a Memorial Bench
The loss of a loved one is no doubt one of the most challenging experiences of life. It’s never easy losing someone who has been a big part of your life, and someone who meant so much to you. Nothing we say or do after their passing ever seems enough. We have a funny way of wishing we could have done more for our loved ones only after they have passed. What can we do to celebrate this person whose life touched our very own? Well, have you ever thought about making a memorial bench tribute?
What’s a memorial bench?
You’ve probably seen them around the parks or certain public areas – a simple-looking bench with a little plaque or engraving on it with words, quotes, and the name of the person this bench is dedicated to. That’s a memorial bench. A bench that’s dedicated as a tribute to someone special who’s no longer with us. However, these benches aren’t just to remember a loved one that has passed. It could be used to memorialize a special occasion, like a 60th wedding anniversary, for example.
What should you write on your bench?
Getting the bench is the easy part. The tricky part comes when you have to think about what you want to write on your tribute plaque. What words could sum up and leave a lasting impression on those who read the engraving that captures just how special this person was? If the bench is located in a public space, it’s going to be read by hundreds of visitors each day who walk past the bench or sit down for a quick rest. You want your engraving to be simple and brief enough to capture the essence of the one you loved. That’s where people struggle the most. When a loved one passes, we often experience an outpouring of emotion. We’re flooded with words and emotions, and we have so much that we want to say.
However, there’s only so much you could publish on that short section of the bench. Are you experiencing writer’s block, and having trouble thinking of a few words that sum up what an incredible person your lost loved one was? The following tips might help:
- Make it personal – Is there something distinctive about the person or the occasion the bench is erected for? The engraving on the bench will be personal, and one of the very best ways to personalize it would be by mentioning a significant feature or characteristic that resonates in your mind. When you think about that feature or characteristic, you should automatically think of this person. It could be a phrase that they liked to use a lot or how they made everyone around them feel. Think about what made this person unique to you. Alternatively, you could think about quotes or sayings that best describe the person or the occasion. There are many quotes online that can be used as a source of inspiration if you really can’t think of one of your own.
- Pretend you’re talking to them – If you could say one sentence to your loved one right now, what would it be? An interesting idea to make your plaque even more personal would be a line or two that sounds almost as if you were having a conversation with them. If you think about it, this bench and the memorial plaque that goes with it will be almost like a secret connection between you and the person you’re dedicating the bench to. Your one final parting word. What would be the last phrase you’d want to say to them? A phrase that either sum up your love or something you know would make the two of you smile if your loved one was here. If you’re commemorating a special moment or a relationship milestone, think of something significant that the two of you will never forget – a unique experience or memory that only the two of you shared.
- Keep it simple – You’re not going to have a lot of space to work with on a bench. Once you’ve decided that you want to commemorate the passing of your loved one on a public bench, there’s no need to rush the process. Spend some time thinking about what you’d like to write. The best approach would be to keep it short and straightforward. Draft out a few sentences, and then narrow that selection until you find the one you’re happy with. Understandably, you probably have a lot you want to express, but the bench will be there to symbolize everything you can’t express in words. The most traditional way to start the sentence is with three simple words like this: In memory of. Some people choose to put in loving memory of, and that’s fine, too. If the bench is used to memorialize an event, something simple like “Celebrating 60 Wonderful Years Together” is more than enough to mark the occasion.
A bench that will hold the engraved memory of someone who meant the world to you is one of the most special gifts you could honor your loved one with. The bench with engraving is the kind of gift that will last a lifetime (unless something happens to the bench), and it’s the kind of gift that can be shared with the rest of the world. Everyone who walks past or sits on that bench will get a glimpse of this wonderful and remarkable person the bench is dedicated to. It’s a gift that will last for generations to come. At the end of the day, whatever you choose to say on that bench, it’s going to be perfect, anyway. Why? It symbolizes the unique relationship the two of you had, a special connection that existed only between you and this other person. This thoughtful gift and what it stands for are more than enough to demonstrate the relationship’s powerful bond. After all, not everyone has a special bench in their honor.
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