Sometimes a funeral doesn't feel like enough when it comes to memorializing a loved one who's passed on. You want to honor their memory in a special way that will make you feel closer to them. Taking the time to thoughtfully memorialize a loved one can be a healthy way to help process your grief and celebrate the life of the one you've lost. Here are five ideas for memorializing your loved one:

Memorial Grave Marker

An engraved memorial grave marker is a beautiful way for you and your family to remember your loved one. You can have it engraved with a favorite quote, saying, or even song lyric that reminds you of your loved one. It's even possible these days to have a photo included on the memorial grave marker. For more information, contact An Thiel Monuments or a similar company.

Sponsor an Animal

If your friend or family member was a huge animal lover, a thoughtful way to remember them is to sponsor an animal in their name. Many zoos allow you to sponsor an animal, which contributes to the costs of their upkeep as well as educational efforts on behalf of the zoo. A similar idea is to make a donation to or volunteer your time at an animal shelter.

Perform Random Acts of Kindness

Sometimes when you're sad, doing kind things for others can help cheer you up and give you some perspective. Performing random acts of kindness in your loved one's name is a great way to honor their memory, especially if they were known for their generous heart. If you're stumped, you can find a lot of ideas for random acts of kindness online.

Name a Star After Them

Naming a star in the sky after your loved one is a sweet way to remember them, especially if you have memories of stargazing with them. Companies selling "name a star" services will send you a certificate and a map of the star, so that you can look up at the sky, see the star you've named, and remember your loved one.

Write About them in a Journal

One of the scariest things about losing a loved one is the thought that your memories of them may begin to fade sooner than you would like. Writing down the things you most cherish and miss about your loved one is a powerful way to honor them as a person and can help you process your grief as well. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can have other friends or family members contribute to the journal too.

Losing a loved one is never easy, but with these memorial ideas you can do your best to keep their memory alive.