20 Unique Final Messages for a Custom Urn

Losing a loved one can be an incredibly difficult process. Many find it difficult to imagine saying goodbye to a person who meant the world to them, and memorializing those special moments can pose a unique challenge. While many find peace in choosing burial for their lost loved one and writing an epitaph on their tombstone that represents who their loved one was in life, options for final messages or epitaphs for cremation might not seem as obvious. At OneWorld Memorials, cremation urns can be customized with final messages - much like tombstones - so that you can write a sendoff or something else upon your loved one's final resting place. But how do you decide what to say? Here are 20 unique final messages for custom urns.

Something Classic

For many, choosing a classic epitaph may be the correct decision. A final goodbye, a good message; something that you can think of every time you pass the cremation urn. These messages are commonly found on tombstones, and they're what many of us think of when we think of epitaphs. Classic final messages are a great choice for traditional urns and individuals who want to leave a simple but true sign of respect. The first five final messages are commonly used epitaphs that are just as loving and sincere as other unique messages.

1. In Loving Memory
2. Forever In Our Hearts
3. Rest in Peace
4. Always In Our Thoughts
5. In Eternal Remembrance

Something Faithful

Losing a loved one can be a religious experience, especially if the individual or your family is one of faith. You may choose a verse or line from a holy book like the Bible or something else that represents your loved one's faith. This can be an important step for your or their faith, as it demonstrates who they were in life and the afterlife as well. Many different religions have unique quotes, messages or sayings that symbolize how they view loss, death and life. For more about how different religions view life, death and the afterlife, consider consulting our two-part guide to these views. Part I discusses cremation and spiritual traditions, while part II discusses spirits and the afterlife. For final messages, several options from different religions are listed below.

6. In The Arms of the Angels - Christian saying
7. The Lord is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want - 23^rd Psalm
8. This Too is for the Good - Jewish saying by Nachum Ish Gamzu
9. Drop by Drop the Water Pot Filled - Quote from Buddha
10. And He Has Made Me Blessed Wherever I Am - Quran, 19:31

Something Quoted

Many find a loving remembrance in a quote - whether it's something their lost loved one said often or something another influential figure in their life said. There are many beautiful quotes about loss, love, death and the afterlife from writers, actors, influential figures and world leaders, and these beautiful quotes can make touching tributes to someone you have lost. Consider the individuals that your lost loved one respected or their interests - several options are listed below but there are many more still that can be found in books or across the internet.

11. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss
12. "I'll remember you. When I've forgotten all the rest. You to me were true. You to me were the best." - Bob Dylan
13. "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die." - Thomas Campbell
14. "I knew if I waited around long enough something like this would happen." - George Bernard Shaw
15. "Death is not a foe, but an inevitable adventure." - Sir Oliver Lodge

Something Poetic

Some of the most loving tributes are poems or quotes from poetry or literature. Many writers have offered unique perspectives on life and death that have been used as epitaphs. Similar to using a quote for a final message, if your lost loved one had a favorite poet or writer, it may be worth consulting their work to find a message that is perfect for their custom cremation urn. Here are a few examples of unique quotes to use as final messages.

16. "Step lightly on this narrow spot!
    The broadest land that grows
    Is not so ample as the breast
    These emerald seams enclose."
    - Emily Dickinson
17. "I had a lover's quarrel with the world."
    - Robert Frost
18. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
    - F. Scott Fitzgerald
19. "A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others."
    - L. Frank Baum

Something Unique

Finally, a preferred option for many when writing a final message or an epitaph upon a custom urn is to write something dear, personal or unique. This can be a final message from you to your loved one, an inside joke, something that your lost loved one commonly said, a word or phrase that is symbolic to them or even an image. This is the preferred choice of many and can be a touching tribute - a final message that's deeply personal to your loved one.

Whatever you choose to write upon your loved one's cremation urn, the process can be one that is deeply personal and can hold weight long after the loss of your loved one. For more information about how to choose what type of heartfelt expression to put upon an urn, consult our guides for personalizing urns for ashes and for choosing epitaphs. If you are preparing an urn in advance, discuss with your loved one what they might like upon their urn. If you are choosing a final message following a loss, consult with friends and loved ones about what might best capture who they were in life.