Legacy Planning

While I haven't directed my life towards creating a legacy to leave behind,  the recent sudden deaths of several members of my High Vista Community have deeply affected me. So many memorial services. We remember each with equal focus on the good they brought into the world and the gratitude we feel for having shared time with them. What do I want to leave behind? Not the house, the books, paintings, the possessions I never got rid of. But how do I want our children and grandchildren to know about the life I led, decisions I made, challenges and lessons learned, values and cherished memories, wishes I fulfilled and any left on the bucket list?

Such is the material to be included in an "Ethical Will". This isn't a legal document and there's no fixed time or method for writing one. If it's important to you to leave more than your "stuff", the best time to begin is today and the best way to start is however you feel comfortable. Below is a selection of resources that provide ideas to jump start your thinking. And a unique graphic version of what someone chose to create instead of a prose message.

If you haven't prepared your home, your legal and financial paperwork, your list of passwords and contracts, your insurance and medical information in tip top order for those who will be your key end of life support and heirs, a great way to get going on that is to participate in our Great Plan for Serenity (GPS) self-guided program and optional group discussions. Let me know if you want a copy emailed to you.

Ideas on How To Prepare an Ethical Will

• Reasons to Write an Ethical Will
• The Ethical Will: How To Get Started
• The Ethical Will: Life is About More Than Possessions