The ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to impact our lives in ways few of us could have anticipated. Florida, which has long been a COVID-19 hotspot, continues to add large numbers of cases on a daily basis. Sadly, the Sunshine State recently topped their former record for a single-day rise in cases. The statewide death toll from the pandemic is now at 19,591.
Mourning Amid the Pandemic
Grief and loss will never be easy, but mourning the death of a loved one during a pandemic presents unique challenges.
- No large gatherings. Because the CDC recommends limiting gatherings amid the pandemic, we’re not able to observe most of our cultural rituals for funerals. We cannot come together for in-person services, sharing memories and eulogizing the departed together.
- No food and fellowship. With many funerals come times of increased human connection. We gather, hug, share food, and swap stories. Because of the risk of virus transmission, we’re currently not able to publicly express our grief and comfort one another in these ways.
Mourning amid the pandemic can often be a strange, lonely affair.
Connecting Online
During these times of social distancing and restricted in-person interactions, society has taken increased advantage of online connections.
During the first months of the pandemic, industry reports showed that digital media use tremendously increased as people spent more time at home due to coronavirus lockdowns. Such increases were especially prevalent for social media and messaging apps, but particularly remarkable was the unprecedented uptake in video conferencing apps and programs. (NCBI)
While connecting online will never be quite the same as meeting in-person, digital connections can decrease the stress of isolation and remind us that we’re not alone.
This is particularly important while we’re grieving.
The Beauty of Covituary
The beauty of our services here at Covituary is that we leverage the power of online connection for the benefit of those who have lost family members, friends, neighbors, and loved ones.
In just three easy steps, users can create a free online memorial to mark a passing. Once the memorial is created, the community can come together to celebrate life, share memories, mourn a collective loss, and pay tribute to those who have gone on before us.
Covituary online memorials allow for the following tributes:
- Images and videos. Especially for those loved ones who were “larger than life,” images and videos play such a role in allowing us to mourn, remember, and grieve. In these times of distance and separation, shared images can offer a visual point of connection and bring us closer together emotionally.
- Biographies and eulogies. For those who process best by writing or have a story or remembrance to share, they can do so by writing it out, line by line, and placing it where others can share in the memory.
- Important links. Because Covituary serves as a central hub, posting the links to your virtual memorial service and/or donations pages here will allow maximum access to ensure no one is left out.
- Guest book. During non-covid times, the guest book serves as a comforting reminder to the departed’s loved ones that she/he was important to the community. Recognizing the vital role the guest book plays in the grief and recovery process, we here at Covituary have included a digital option.
Grief and Remembrance
There will never be anything easy about losing someone you love. The process of recovery will always be long, complex, and fraught with pain.
With an online digital memorial, however, people can come together even from a distance to share hope, healing, and love.
We Can Help
Here at Covituary, we are dedicated to helping you grieve, remember, mourn, and start the journey toward recovery. Visit our site to create a free memorial and begin the healing process.
