Saying goodbye is never easy. There are so many different ways to cope with the loss of a loved one.
No matter who you are, the walk of life you have had, your religion, class, upbringing, race, or gender, death is the inevitable finale to life.
Many people have experienced the loss of losing someone they truly care deeply about, and they often aren’t’ sure what to say when that time comes.
There is no “right” way to say goodbye, nor should there be. Perhaps you and your loved one have an inside joke that you tell at the funeral. Perhaps you simply say nothing at all.
Whatever you choose, remember that no one ever really leaves us, and we continue on in our lives with their memories in our hearts.
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There are many different variations of Rest in Peace, as well as poetry, famous quotes, and even passages from various spiritual texts that have been sent along with the passing of a loved one.
While none of these are necessarily the “right” way to say goodbye, they have the potential to bring peace of mind to those still left here on Earth.
Depending on your religion or upbringing, some may apply more to you than others.
Today, we’ve outlined a few different ways to send off loved ones who have passed:
1. They Shall Be Missed
There is a difference between what you say to your passed loved one in private than what you say to someone else at the funeral.
If you are trying to comfort someone who has lost a loved one, telling them that their loved one will be greatly missed for their deeds in life is a wonderful way to lend your love and support.
Especially in instances when you have some charming and helpful story to share. Just make sure that you pick your moment wisely.
That’s also part of the reason why people actually say rest in peace.
2. May Their Soul Find Rest
May Their Soul Find Rest is a great phrase when it comes to different forms of spirituality.
If you are not part of organized religion, but still believe in the identity of the soul in a human body, you may use this phrase as a way to emphasize your wish that their soul moves on to whatever comes next and find rest there.
Perhaps that next place is not heaven, reincarnation, or any other form of traditional afterlife, but instead simply a fond farewell to the soul and the hope that, should it exist, that it finds rest and happiness.
3. I Will Always Remember Them
This may be a phrase that you say to yourself or to someone else that you love.
This is a goodbye to your passed loved one while also emphasizing that you will never forget that you will always remember who they were and how they impacted your life.
Saying this aloud or to oneself can be just as effective as “rest in peace” and help you remind yourself that no one is truly ever gone if we remember them.
4. Letting Go is Never Easy
If someone has passed and it has been a long period of time since their passing, many people will expect us to move on and let go.
Not to wallow in grief but to cherish the memories that were and the person that we have lost. If you are being told to move on, or if you are trying to help someone move on, the phrase “letting go is never easy” is a very accurate one.
Letting go of someone doesn’t mean that you forget them, stop being sad, or move on from their memory.
Instead, letting go means that you cherish them in life, moving forward and continuing on your destined path, keeping a place for your loved one in your heart as you do so.
5. Death is Not The End
If you are spiritual or religious, you may believe in an afterlife.
The idea that “death is not the end” is popular among religions that believe the soul is transported to an afterlife after death.
Because of this, we hope to see our loved ones once we, too, have passed from this world and onto the next.
Therefore, to say that death is not the end is to remind yourself and those around you that you and your loved one will be reunited one day, once all that needs to be done on this earth is finished.
6. May God Rest Their Soul
This follows the same form of, “may their soul find rest,” but includes a form of deity or religion.
A phrase like this usually refers to the Christian god, but it doesn’t have to.
The god that rests your loved one’s soul may not be the Christian God, but during times of grief, we hope that their soul will be laid to rest by whomever we do worship as our deity and that they take our loved one in their arms and show them kindness and rest.
If you do not worship a god, you would probably stick to the phrase, “may their soul find rest.”
7. Their Memory Will Never Fade
Close to the phrase, “I will always remember them,” this statement is less about you and more about the person who has passed.
As a general phrase, this is a reminder to all in mourning of the lost loved one that their memory will never fade from the world, from strangers who have met them, nor from the great deeds that they have done.
This phrase is more universal and emphasizes that the memory of your loved one is so powerful that even time itself could not snuff it out.
8. They Will Leave a Handprint on My Heart
Leaving a handprint on your heart is an old phrase and one that helps us feel closer to our loved one.
It means that your loved one was so close to you that you will carry them always as part of your body, your heart, and your soul.
This has also been attributed to the death of pets, whose “pawprints” will always leave a stamp on our hearts and minds even when they are gone.
9. There Are No Goodbyes
Originally credited with Gandhi, the full quote being akin to, “There are no goodbyes, wherever you will be, you will be in my heart,” this farewell of loved ones reminds us that nothing is final.
Depending on the living’s outlook on spirituality and the afterlife, humans often think about death as simply another part of life – a passing to the next world where our loved ones will be waiting for us.
Therefore, there can never be a goodbye as the cycle of life continues to turn, and our souls reconnect in new and exciting places.
10. Heaven is More Beautiful Now that They are There
This is a very nice phrase that can bring a lot of comfort to those who have recently lost someone.
To say that a divine afterlife is better now that your loved one has ascended to it is very sweet, and can be a great way to tell them goodbye.
11. Even if We Don’t See Them, They Are Still With Us
This statement is a fond farewell and goodbye because it really isn’t goodbye.
For those who believe in angels or an afterlife, the idea that our loved ones will walk beside us even though they have left this world is very comforting.
This statement not only demonstrates your personal beliefs, but also reminds you and your other loved ones that the passing of a life is not to be mourned, but rather to remember they are with us always.
12. I Will Treasure Them Forever
Treasuring a memory is much more powerful than simply remembering someone.
This statement says that you not only will keep their memory alive but that you will treat them as one of the better parts of your entire life.
Their memory will never fade, and you will treasure them forever as part of what helped make you the person you are today.
13. Go In Peace As You Cross The Great Divide
The “great divide” in this statement is referring to the journey between the land of the living and the afterlife.
While not all people believe in an afterlife, this statement is great for those who believe that their loved ones are ascending to a higher plane of existence.
Final Thought: People Come, and People Go, but Memories Never Fade
Another reminder that memories are what keep our loved ones with us. This phrase also reminds us that our loved ones do die and that new people will come into our lives with time.
There is no reason to believe that the loss of a loved one will leave you feeling alone, without comfort or support. There will always be someone there for you, a comfort to share your grief, and to help one another out of sadness and into happiness again.
People leave us, but more will come, and when people leave us again, we can remember their memory, their deeds, their words, and their love for always in our hearts.