When someone passes away, they don’t necessarily pass from our memories. That’s why many of us take various symbolic steps when memorializing a loved one. For example, at a memorial service, you may light a candle for someone who died or offer up a moment of silence.
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You might also remember a deceased loved one by purchasing a keepsake that symbolically reminds you of them. A memory lamp is an example of such an item.
A memory lamp for a deceased loved one is simply a lamp featuring some sort of gently beautiful design. The light it gives off can give the impression that, in some way, a person who died is still here, if only in your memory.
Keep reading if you believe a memory lamp would be the perfect keepsake to help you remember someone who passed. This blog will help you decide exactly what type of memory lamp is right for you.
Memory Lamp Inscription Ideas
Whether on the base or the glass shade over the bulb, a memory lamp for a deceased loved one may feature an inscription. These are some ideas to keep in mind.
1. “Their light has not gone out.”
Although a memory lamp is something you can keep in your home, it’s also a standard feature of many funerals and memorial services. If you’re looking for memorial table ideas for a service, consider a memory lamp with an inscription. It can offer mourners comfort by clearly stating that the one you’ve lost still lives on in some way.
2. “Your light will always shine on.”
Memory lamps are popular keepsakes for many reasons. One of the most noteworthy is the fact that a memory lamp has a symbolic quality. The light it gives off can symbolize the “light” of someone’s goodness, love, and compassion, suggesting that it continues to shine even after their passing.
That’s why you might consider an inscription such as this one when ordering a custom memory lamp for a deceased loved one. You don’t even need to use this exact phrasing. Any phrase that conjures up the idea of someone’s light remaining bright despite their death may work.
3. “We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light a candle that can guide us through that darkness.”
A memory lamp isn’t technically a candle, and President John F. Kennedy was referring more specifically to global affairs when he offered up this quote. Yet, in the context of a memory lamp inscription, it can remind us that dwelling in sorrow when someone dies isn’t what they would have wanted for us.
4. “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”
Although this is an entirely appropriate memory lamp inscription for anyone who was a fan of this classic song, it may be particularly ideal for someone who was Christian, given the song’s gospel origins.
5. “Thank you for lighting up our lives.”
When we consider things to do in memory of a loved one, many of us feel the urge to express our gratitude for their presence in some way. This type of inscription could serve that purpose.
6. Religious quotes
From Buddhism to Christianity, many religions have poems, quotes, and passages touching on the idea of lights and candles being metaphors for love and hope in difficult times. Search for such quotes from your religion to get memory lamp inscription ideas.
7. Song lyrics
As with religious quotes, there are far too many song lyrics that rely on candle, sun, and light metaphors to include a single example. When buying a memory lamp for a deceased loved one, consider whether their favorite musical artists released songs with such lyrics. They could make for the ideal inscription.
8. “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”
Even if you’re not religious, you may still appreciate quotes that express the idea of “light” being a symbol of hope. You could opt for this quote from Aristotle instead of a religious passage.
9. “Rage against the dying of the light.”
Just like song lyrics and religious passages, you can find plenty of selections from poems that describe light as a symbol of life. That said, “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas is easily one of the most iconic poems expressing this idea. You might use a line or two from it as a memory lamp inscription.
10. “For the one whose light never went out.”
This inscription (or one similar to it) could be perfect if you’re buying a memory lamp for a deceased person who was always joyful and full of love.
11. “Shine on.”
This is an example of a very simple inscription that nevertheless conveys tremendous significance.
12. “You made every day brighter.”
This type of inscription is another one that can express a sense of gratitude for the role someone played in your life.
13. “What is a soul? It’s like electricity. We don’t really know what it is, but it can light up a room.”
If the deceased was a music fan, it may be apparent why this Ray Charles quote could be a very appropriate memory lamp inscription.
14. “The sun also rises…”
You may consider using this phrase as a memory lamp inscription because of its versatility. Although it’s technically part of a Bible quote, many only know it as the title of an Ernest Hemingway novel. Suppose you’re hosting a memorial service that will include religious and non-religious guests. In that case, this inscription could help you offer comfort to all of them. In either the religious or secular context, it reminds us that the sun will rise again even in the darkest nights.
15. “In loving memory.”
Inscription and engraving ideas don’t need to be unique all of the time. In some instances, the most straightforward words are the most meaningful.
Different Types of Memory Lamps for the Deceased
Memory lamps for deceased loved ones come in many different sizes and designs. These are a few popular examples to consider.
16. Flower memory lamp
Flowers serve as inspiration for some of the most common memory lamp designs. However, not all flower-themed memory lamps are the same.
For example, some feature bulb shades which “bloom” from the lamp’s base as if they were actual petals. Others feature stained glass lampshades in various basic shapes with flower-centric designs. With so many options from which to choose, if flower memory lamps appeal to you, you’re sure to find the ideal memory lamp for your deceased loved one.
17. Angel memory lamp
For those with religious beliefs, an angel-shaped memory lamp may be an ideal item. They can remember the almost heavenly light that a deceased loved one brought into their lives. This type of memory lamp could also be appropriate if you’re mourning someone who died too young, as many religious people associate lost children with angels.
18. Bird-themed memory lamp
If you’re looking for a memory lamp for a deceased person who loved birds, you’re in luck. It’s easy to find memory lamps in the shape of various types of birds.
Additionally, some memory lamps come in the shape of birdhouses. This is an option worth considering if you want to be able to inscribe a decent amount of text on the memory lamp itself. The squarish shape of a birdhouse is more conducive to doing so than that of a bird.
19. Candle memory lamp
Some memory lamps feature transparent glass shades. With these, the observer can clearly see a candle, whether it be a real candle or an electric one.
20. Photo memory lamp
Some companies can take photos of deceased loved ones and engrave reproductions of those photos onto a memory lamp’s shade. These lamps may come in various shapes, but most often, the shade portion over the bulb is a basic solid shape, like a circle or rectangle. Hence, the image appears clearly and evenly.
Other suppliers offer a similar take on this idea by using 3-D printing technology to create memory lampshades in the shape of a loved one’s silhouette, with etchings/engravings defining their body’s details features.
Memory Lamps: Remembering Someone’s Light
Whether you’re looking for something to offer hope to guests at a memorial service, or you simply want a keepsake for your own home, consider a memory lamp. The beauty and symbolic meaning of this type of keepsake can offer peace when it may be difficult to find.