Activity: Meaningful Messages
Objective: Symbolically communicating with the person or people that we are remembering can be helpful in facilitating healthy grief expression. This is especially true regarding thoughts and feelings that are particularly difficult to say out loud. For this activity, family members will choose from a variety of creative modalities to draw, write, or meditate on meaningful messages that will be symbolically shared with the person who has died. Meaningful Messages activities can foster a sense of ongoing connection to the person being remembered.
Options & Considerations:
-
Meditative
- Blow bubble messages
- Fly a kite messages
- Skipping rocks messages
- Release flowers on the water messages
Draw/Write
- Wish paper messages
- Dissolving paper messages
- Messages in the sand
The important thing to consider for this activity is to create an intentional time and space to think about the message to be sent and then following through by deciding on a delivery method that feels both practical and meaningful to you & your family in this season.
Supplies: Bubbles and kites can be found at local dollar stores, while fresh flowers can be purchased at a farmers market or grocery store. Water-soluble paper and flying wish paper can be purchased online. Two options are linked below:
Additional Suggestions: Be mindful of weather implications and a practice trial run is recommended when using either flying wish or dissolving water paper prior to facilitating these activities as a family.
Thank you, Kelly Petersohn, from Camp Erin Online for developing & sharing this activity!
