Selecting the right headstone inscription can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, however, if you choose the right words, this activity can actually give you great comfort.
To start with, make sure that you give yourself enough time to select the wording. This is not a task that can be finished in a hurry and if you want to make sure that the inscriptions says what you want it to say, then it’s worth spending some time and giving thought to the process. Consult your family members and obtain their views and opinions and create a short-list of words and phrases that you want to use. It also makes sense to appoint a family member to manage the process and ensure that the task is completed appropriately.
Phrases such as “In loving memory of” are very commonplace so if you want your loved one to have a more unique inscription then give some thought to the different words that you can use. If you think about it, there are many other phrases that have the same meaning as this phrase so apply some thought to what you could use instead and make it more meaningful and personal to the individual. It is often a good idea to choose a pictorial carving that sits alongside the words because carvings can often express something that the words cannot.
Don’t use too many words in the headstone inscription. Generally speaking, when it comes to older people who have passed on then just using the years of when they were born and died is usually appropriate. However, if we are talking about a child, the using the years, days and months can be particularly poignant.
Don’t forget that the epitaph you will use should be meaningful and catch the attention of whoever reads it.
It is not unusual to use parts of songs, books and poems. If you are able to find some timeless parts of classic literary pieces then that can be a nice option. Some people use witty humor on headstones, but you need to be very careful with this form of inscription. Once again, it’s often the best idea to find something that will be simple and stand the test of time.
For more advice about headstone inscriptions, please do not hesitate to contact us.