Have you heard about “ethical wills”? An ethical will is a love letter, some say, in which people pass down to the next generation(s) the experiences and values they have found meaningful. Ethical wills have been around since at least the 1970s, but the trend really gained momentum after 9/11 when people wanted to explicitly state their love of family.
One hospice patient felt he had nothing to pass on to his family because he had lost all his money, but a chaplain helped him write an ethical will. All of a sudden his life and legacy had meaning. Indeed, many elderly people, regardless of finances, see lifestyles nowadays that are much different from theirs. And they don’t want to dictate from the grave, but they want to make their witness to what they think is right.
Some concerns about writing an ethical will:
- What do you want your loved ones to know about your family history?
- What is your vision for your heirs’ use of their inheritance?
- Have you made mistakes for which you want to ask forgiveness? Or is there forgiveness you want to offer?
- Why have you made certain decisions about your estate, such as donating a portion of it to your church?
What are the values and life lessons you’d like to share concerning God, education, the workplace, marriage, parenting, etc.? There may be some inquiring minds that would be very blessed to know. - DJ
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