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5 Ways to Show a Departed Loved One That We're Thinking of Them
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5 Ways to Show a Departed Loved One That We're Thinking of Them

The holidays can be a hard time for those who are missing the loved ones they lost, but there are ways to be in touch with them.

Source: Getty Images | Photo by Betsie Van Der Meer

As much joy as the holidays bring, they can also bring a lot of pain. During this period, our hearts become heavy thinking about those we have lost. They may not be far from our minds, and even from our homes. Not everyone is a believer but some agree that our deceased loved ones may be around us, and we can communicate with them. It's not the same as talking to them but just like they may be able to send us signs that they are around, we may be able to let them know that we're thinking of them.

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There is no way to know if this is a fact but we know that it's a hope and a belief that helps us, the living, feel a little calmer. It may not be much different from when kids have imaginary friends, but there is a specific reason some of them go through that phase. It assuages their anxious hearts. Similarly, this holiday season might seem hard to get through without our loved ones, and being able to send them a metaphorical note might help us as well.

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Here are 5 ways to show them we are thinking of them:

1. Hold an object of theirs close

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If the departed can see, then they will be able to feel joy if they see us holding something that belonged to them. It would be a clear sign that they are on our mind and holding it close to us is how we are trying to feel connected to them. Objects that were important to the person who passed away have that power, not only for them but also for the one holding them. This is why it's hard to discard the things that the people we loved owned. For instance, we might still have our father's watch carefully stored among our possessions, or our mother's cardigan on which her smell faintly lingers.

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2. Ask them to visit

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What can be a clearer message than telling them to visit us? Whether we prefer to say it aloud or light candles or leave out other signs like coins or windchimes, they will be able to understand. The most important thing while letting our deceased loved one know that we are thinking of them this holiday season is the intention behind it. One of the easiest ways of letting them know they are on our minds may be through photographs displayed in prominent places.

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3. Write a letter to them

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Just because someone has passed away, it doesn't mean that we can't talk to them. After all, they may be alive in our memories. Putting our message to them in a letter or a note might help us feel unburdened. We could leave the note on the mantle or any space that they frequented. If they had a favorite chair or a sitting spot on the sofa, leave it there for them to find. It may or may not work, but we are likely going to feel good about it.

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4. Dream about them

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Some say that we can control our dreams. The imaginative visuals we see at night when we are sleeping might be one of the most common ways to be visited by a loved one. It may also be an easy way to let them know we are thinking of them. When we focus on the person we want to contact, we might be able to see them in our dreams. It's easy to forget our dreams, which is why keeping a dream journal next to our bed to write them down will be helpful. Once we write them down, we can examine what the patterns and themes are in them.

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5. Respond to their signs

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Who doesn't like their feelings to be reciprocated! Similarly, you may be unaware of it but your lost loved one may already be speaking to you. Sometimes, all it takes is to keep an open mind so that we are able to read the signs when they have been trying to speak to us and respond in kind. There are multiple ways in which our loved one who has passed on maybe reminding us that they love us as much as we love them. Sometimes, all it takes to communicate with them is by keeping their memory alive within us.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on insights from different sources. The views expressed here are those of the writer.

References:

https://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/articles/6-ways-to-connect-to-a-lost-loved-one.aspx

https://www.oregonlive.com/life-and-culture/erry-2018/10/681847055948/10-ways-to-communicate-with-th.html