Memorial prompts – religion, military, and parenting
There are lots of interesting things that happened today in history to help spark our memories:
- Today is Robert’s Rules Day: 175 th birth anniversary of Henry M. Robert (1837-1923), brigadier general and author of Robert’s Rules of Order (1876).
- In 1611, the King James Version of the Bible was published.
- In 1945, Soviet marshal Georgi Zhukov accepted the surrender of Berlin, the German capital.
- In 2011, Al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden was killed in a raid conducted by a US Navy SEAL team in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
- Death anniversary of artist, scientist and inventor Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519).
- Birth anniversary of pediatrician and author Benjamin Spock (1903-98).
What memories do these bring to mind? Was your loved one in the military? A religious person? An artist? A loving parent? Write about what these items bring to mind, and invite others to share their memories too.
Memorial prompts – jobs, childhood, and superheroes
Today is:
- May Day
- Executive Coaching Day
- Mother Goose Day
- New Home Owner’s Day
- School Principals’ Day
- The Anniversary of Batman’s debut in Detective Comics #27 in 1939.
What do these items bring to your mind about your loved one? Spend a few minutes today remembering and sharing your memories with others.
My dad always loved a good superhero story. But my mom didn’t care for them so much so he used to go to the movies alone on occasion. I didn’t know about that till I was much older. Too bad, I would have gone with him!
Memorial prompts – laundry and good causes
Today is:
- National Hanging Out Day. See www.laundrylist.org
- What did your loved one do with their laundry? Was it a love/hate relationship? Were they organized, doing a little every day, or was it sabed until they couldn’t ignore it anymore? What does their laundry tell us about…who they were? :)
- National High Five Day. See www.nationalhighfiveday.com
- NH5D is a day to give high-fives to everyone to encourage them to support cancer research. Was your loved one affected by cancer? Would they have given to support this cause if they were still alive today?
Have you started a memorial blog? Did you write something from these prompts? Please share in the comments below!
Memorial prompts – family and poetryDDR
Today is:
- Ellis Island Family History Day. See www.ellisisland.org – marking the day in 1907 when more people came through Ellis Island than at any point in it’s history.
- National Haiku Poetry Day – April is national poetry month. Today commemorates the haiku specifically.
- National Stress Awareness Day – stress is a leading cause of illness in our lives.
- Verrazano Day – commemorating the discovery of the New York Harbor by Giovanni Verrazano.
What thoughts do these invoke of your loved one? Share your memories, and invite others to share them too!
Memorial prompts – tragedies and comedies
Memorial Prompts:
- Today is Emancipation Day in Washington, DC; it’s the the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia (1862).
- 5th anniversary of the 2007 Virginia Tech University shootings that took 32 lives.
- It’s also the birth anniversary of Charlie Chaplin (1889-1975), Wilbur Wright (1867-1912).
How did your loved one deal with tragedies in their life? We all have them – those things that make life almost unbearable. What did your loved one do to make life more bearable?
Do thoughts of Charlie Chaplin, the great silent movie star, or the flights of Wilbur Wright, of the famous Wright brothers, bring any memories to your mind?
Share what you remember, and invite others to add their memories too. If you have not started a memorial blog or memory book, today is the perfect day to start.
Memorial prompts – laughter, baseball, and the Titanic
I realized today I was calling these by the wrong name, they should be called memorial prompts instead of journal prompts! Memorials are for remembering others; journals are for your own memories. Though I hope some of you decide to use these as journal prompts as well – by wishing you knew more about what your loved one thought about some of these items, you may realize how important it is for you to write your own journal!
Here are todays prompts, what do you think of about your loved one when you read the following:
- International Moment of Laughter
- Day Pan-American Day
Today in history:
- In 1828, Noah Webster published his American Dictionary of the English Language.
- In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theatre, Washington, DC, and died the next day.
- In 1910, President William Howard Taft began a sports tradition by throwing out the first baseball of the season at an American League game between Washington and Philadelphia (Washington won 3-0).
- 100 years ago, in 1912, the luxury liner Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight. It sank hours later on Apr 15.
If you have not started a memorial blog or memory book, today is the perfect day to start.
Our prayers go out to all those in the Midwest who are in the path of the storms that will be coming today. We pray for your safety.
Journal prompt – Politics and UFOs
Today is Thomas Jefferson Day (third president of the US – his birth anniversary – 1742-1826.)
- What was your loved one’s political leanings? How did that affect his/her life?
This weekend is the Ozark UFO Conference, Inn of the Ozarks, Eureka Springs, AR (Apr 13-15). See www.ozarkufo.com
- Believer? Non-believer?
In 1742, Georg Frederick Handel conducted the first performance of Messiah at Dublin, Ireland. Handel also was the harpsichordist.
- Favorite type of music?
Journal prompt – Wild side?
Today is “Walk on your wild side” day. What did your loved one do to walk on their wild side?
My Dad
I don’t really think my dad had a wild side. Though when he was sick, he would sniff a little cayenne pepper. Cleared out the sinuses, he would say. So, my dad…wild? not quite so sure. Crazy? Yes, there was a little of that in him…
Memorial prompts for memorial blogs and books
Recording our memories of loved ones who are gone – especially with others – such an easy thing to do these days. You can start an online blog through blogger.com or WordPress.com, or create a memorial book through online services such as Mixbook or Blurb that let you tell stories and add pictures in a compelling way.
Starting today, we will be sharing journal prompts to give you ideas about what to write about, and I’ll share some of my own memories of those I’ve loved who have passed away.
Today is:
- Barbershop Quartet Day
- International “Louie Louie” Day
- National Bookmobile Day. See www.ala.org
Was your loved one very musically talented?
What did they think about reading?
Share what you remember, and invite others to add their memories too. Feel free to comment on this post, or go start your own blog to share your memories!
My Dad
My dad was not super musically talented. He could be heard singing an occasional song at church, but outside of that, he was not exactly a “whistle as you work” kind of guy. Now I wish I knew more about that side of him because I love music, I love to sing, and so do my kids. I’m curious to know what he thought about his own musical talents. I’ll have to go ask my mom…
Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for the photo book programs you see linked to above. I receive a commission when you click on one of their links and buy something. Thank you for your support!
Mommy’s Light and Service
Are you in or around the Pennsylvania area? Support Mommy’s Light, a wonderful organization that helps kids who are grieving a loss.
This year, April 28th, is third 8th annual Mommy’s Light 5K & 1Mile Race. This is an event for the entire family, with even a “Tot Trot” for kid age 2-5 following the race.
if you don’t live in the northeast, consider doing something else this year to support an organization that benefits those grieving a loss. Service is the absolute best way to help us forget our own struggles, no matter how heavy those struggles are.
For more information:
http://www.mommyslight.org/mllo/page.php?78
And here are a couple other sites that include information about other grief support groups:
* http://www.celebrationofalifetime.com/id9.html
* http://www.griefshare.org/findagroup
