9/11 Memorial

I just stumbled upon this in Yahoo News. A national Memorial has been created to honor the lives lost in 9/11. Also there is an entire website dedicated to their memory. Not that a website & memorial makes up for the souls lost to this terrible tragedy, but it is a nice way to honor the near 3,000 people who’s lives were lost that day. We will remember you always…

http://www.911memorial.org/

THE MEMORIAL is a national tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon.

The Memorial design is defined by two reflecting pools, a grove of trees and the names of the victims inscribed in bronze.

The reflecting pools are nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood.

The names of every person who died in 1993 and 2001 attacks are inscribed in bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the unprecedented loss of life in an attack on U.S. soil and of the iconic Twin Towers. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations.

“let yourself feel the sadness”

Dear Louise,

Ever since my wife passed away about nine months ago, I’ve been continually losing things—yesterday one of my indoor cats even got lost. What is the metaphysical reason this keeps happening, and what can I do to stop it?

S.B., Dallas

I feel that you’re still mourning the loss of your wife—that’s why things are happening as they are for you right now. A lot of sadness comes to the surface upon the death of a loved one. It’s important you let yourself feel the sadness. Nature has given you feelings to get you through certain experiences and to deny them causes more pain.

We all cope with grief in different ways. There are no rules! Call the Grief Recovery Hotline for the location of a group near you at 18004454808. Affirm: I am at peace with my loved one’s passing   – Louise Hays

No Storm Lasts Forever

Wayne Dyer is one of my favorite authors.  I recently found a small interview he did with another wonderful author, Louise Hays regarding his book “Change your thoughts, change your life”.  It’s a good one, if you haven’t read it I highly recommend it.  I thought this little bit from their interview  was really inspiring, bringing hope in  the midst of whatever troubles one might be facing.  Just a little happy thought to start off the week…

 

>>>>>>>

Hays: Seeing you as someone who walks their talk, I found it interesting in the preface ofChange Your Thoughts – Change Your Life where you stated that you find yourself still needing to change your own thoughts to transform your life? How is this? Will this always be true for you?

Dyer: Absolutely! You can’t get away from the cyclical universe. What the Tao has taught me is that no storm lasts forever no matter what it is. Nature builds calmness within its storms. That’s true in our own lives as well. When you reach the zenith of where you are going in your life, or in a relationship; the only place you can go is down or up. That’s the nature of this universe; a cyclical thing. The seasons, the moon; everything has a cycle to it.

Hays: So you think that even when you’ve come to a place of peace in your life you still have to go up or down?

Dyer: Yes! Hidden in all good fortune is misfortune. And in all misfortune is good fortune. It’s never going to stay the same as long you are in the world or unless you die while you are alive and become an enlightened Zen Master. But those people don’t exist. When you study their lives, you find that they had the same struggles as the rest of us. It’s not so much about being able to always have calm. Calmness isn’t just the absence of noise or troubles. It’s being able to find calm within yourself when other stuff is going on.

>>>>>>>>>> http://www.drwaynedyer.com/articles/a-conversation-with-dr-wayne-dyer

“There’s no reason to be upset about anything. It will pass. If it’s really going to pass, why stay confused by it and depressed by it. Just watch it go. It’s on its way out. ”  Dr. Wayne Dyer

Oprah on Life and Death

Like every other women in the US, I’ve been obsessed with Oprah these past few weeks. I can’t believe it’s really over. I don’t know if any of you caught the last few episodes, but oh boy were they sad. What ever will we do without our favorite afternoon lady? In memoriam of her show I decided to do a little research & post on Oprah’s take on life & death.

From what I gather from Oprah she is a woman who fully lives in the present. Her viewpoint on death seems to be one of living life to the fullest and knowing that god (or all that is, source, love) will reconnect with you fully in death and when the time is right.

In her final show she said “”I have felt the presence of God my whole life. Even when I didn’t have a name for it, I could feel the voice bigger than myself speaking to me, and all of us have that same voice. Be still and know it. You can acknowledge it or not. You can worship it or not. You can praise it, you can ignore it or you can know it. Know it. It’s always there speaking to you and waiting for you to hear it in every move, in every decision. I wait and I listen. I’m still—I wait and listen for the guidance that’s greater than my meager mind. ” And it is to that presence which you return in death. So try to remember in loss of life there is also light. They have returned to the light and presence of god. And for those of us left, at least in that thought, we can find peace.

She goes on to say a thought not quite having to do with death so much as life, but something I think is wonderful for all of us to remember none-the-less “The only time I’ve ever made mistakes is when I didn’t listen. So what I know is, God is love and God is life, and your life is always speaking to you. First in whispers. … It’s subtle, those whispers. And if you don’t pay attention to the whispers, it gets louder and louder. It’s like getting thumped upside the head, like my grandmother used to do. … You don’t pay attention to that, it’s like getting a brick upside your head. You don’t pay attention to that, the whole brick wall falls down. That’s the pattern I’ve seen in my life, and it’s played out over and over again on this show. Whispers are always messages, and if you don’t hear the message, the message turns into a problem. And if you don’t handle the problem, the problem turns into a crisis. And if you don’t handle the crisis, disaster. Your life is speaking to you. What is it saying?”

Thought for the day…

What’s your life saying? and perhaps more importantly …    Are you listening?

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Oprah-Winfrey-Show-Finale_1/8

Thank you Phobe:)

” My brother died suddenly and I was out of state.  I live in California.  We needed programs for the memorial service in three days.  I gave Nicole of Last Impression Memorial Designs our program, along with pictures.  She was able to produce our programs professionally, and correctly.  She is someone you can count on for great service.  The programs were beautiful.  Thanks Nicole!!  ” 

Phoebe f., Van Nuys, CA

as found on – YELP 

Thanks Phoebe!! (~nicole)

Personalized prayer cards

Personalized prayer cards can be a beautiful one of a kind lasting keepsake.  A gift that you can create to honor your loved one and give your family and friends that will remind them of him/her. It is not uncommon for these cards to stay with your guests for months, years or even decades to come.

What is a prayer card anyway? Prayer cards are generally business sized cards that can fit into your wallet.  They often feature a picture of the deceased, a special prayer, poem or scripture and a background design.  Many times prayer cards are titled “In Loving Memory of…”. They may also be titled with your loved ones name, birth & death date.

Here are 5 Simple Steps to Creating a Prayer Card

1. Choose your favorite photo of your loved one.

2. Choose your favorite poem, prayer or scripture. Many families choose a prayer that reminds them of their loved one.  Or you may choose a saying or scripture that reminds you of them.

3.  Do a little research on the internet to find a place that creates and prints prayer cards in a short time frame.  There are plenty of companies that are able to do this on the fly.  However, many of these web companies do not use professional designers, instead they use templates (pre-designed graphic backgrounds).  Keep in mind that a professional designer may cost a little bit more, but the overall look and feel of your prayer card will be one of a kind and make an impact that template based prayer cards may not.

4. Contact your designer or web company and send them your photo and text file. Get a quote and expedite the order. Don’t forget to check the shipping costs and inquire about how much time it will take to produce & ship.

5. A last option could be to design the prayer card yourself.  With a program such as Microsoft Word, you can add a photo, text and background and get business cards printed at your local Kinkos or print shop.  Take note however, that often times your local graphic designer may be able to do the same job for not that much more money.

Often times, families do not have the time or energy to create their own prayer cards.  It is a last minute detail many families often forget.  However, this little detail is so very important as it imprints a lasting memory and stays with guests for months to come.  Last Impression Designs can design your prayer cards for you. Professional designers will help you to create a one of a kind beautiful keepsake in the most efficient and timely manner. Contact your professional memorial prayer card designer today!

 

Our Story

Last Impression Memorial Design Studio

Our mission is to assist families during trying times by providing professional knowledge & graphic services of the highest standards to minimize stress and to create unforgettable memorial services. We strive to create beautiful & meaningful printed pieces at reasonable prices to honor & celebrate your loved ones passed. We consider it our privilege to help you through this difficult time and promise to not only fulfill your wishes, but also to exceed your expectations.

This is Our Story … Last Impression Memorial Design Studio was started by accident.  Founder Nicole Pang was on vacation in Peru when she herd the news. The one person dearest to her, her grandmother, had passed away. Suddenly the world stopped. Perhaps you can relate? Nothing mattered anymore and all she could thinkabout was Grammy. Grandpa was a mess and the family in a daze. Somehow throughthe greif, Nicole was able to meet with the Priest and figure out the logistics of the service. She took it upon herself to make sure Grammy had the Memorial she so deserved. She was a designer by profession so she gathered all the old photos & designed the funeral program, memorial poster and slideshow. This however was no easy task. She  realized that the mortuary people gave no real direction and nobody in the family  had any idea what to do. All the priest had to offer was a bunch of plain black and white boring text based programs as samples. That would not due for Grammy’s last goodbye.  She deserved better than that!  Figuring out what was needed (what goes in a program anyway?), scanning photos, finding poetry, scriptures and songs & getting it all printed, all in a week was only half the battle… Pulling herself together  enough during this tough time to complete this task plus write a 15 minute  eulogy was the other half. Somehow, she did it. The service went flawlessly and she got multiple compliments on the all of the printed pieces. Nobody had seen anything like it. She wondered how the heck other families without the graphic       and printing resources that she had got through such a difficult time? Instantly  she realized how many lives she could touch & how many families she could help and the gift Grammy had left her. And so began Last Impression Memorial Designs.

We provide every service you could possible need in terms of Memorial Design including creating the program, poster, prayer cards & more. Taking the stress off you – giving you time to grieve.. for more info please check out our website Last Impression Memorial Designs. But the real reason for this blog is to provide basic helpful information to families. Our intension is to provide all the information the funeral director forgot to tell you..   How do you write a eulogy? What is a memorial program? What stuff goes in it? How to help grandpa through this tough time? What is a bereavement card? Why do we have to write thank-you cards? What to expect on the day of the service?

Nobody wants to be googling this stuff, but at some point in our life, we all are. You are here reading this after all. We just hope to create a blog that is as helpful as possible, in essence, becoming a one-stop-shop to help you create the memorial service your loved one so deserves.