The first time I heard the term, Ethical Will, I was
intrigued. Was it a legal document? Would I have to pay an attorney another
fee? Nope! An Ethical Will can be a story of your life,
a wish list of hopes and dreams you have for your loved ones, an explanation of
items that will be passed down or any and all of these things. It makes sense. How many of us are intrigued by biographies
of famous people. Many people had to
write down information about the individual or families had to save letters and
documents related to that person for a biographer to come along years later and write the
person’s story.
In our current tech world, few of us actually write letters
with pen and paper. Our lives are on our
computer. So it stands to reason that we
can use the computer to create an Ethical Will.
A young friend started email accounts for her kids when they were born
and she emails them when significant things happen in their lives. She tells them what it was like when each of
her kids learned to walk, what their
first words were, and what holidays
were like in their home. She also talks
to them about her dreams for them. The short
emails are about their lives and about
their parents’ lives and they will have the stories when they are older.
Another friend writes letters- on paper- to her kids on
their birthdays telling them about their successes and challenges of the year
and what her hopes and dreams are for the coming year. She keeps the letters in her fireproof
safe.
The best definition I have read for an Ethical Will is that
it is a document that stresses Values over Valuables. It can be a personal mission statement. It can also include family history including
stories that were passed down to you but were never written down. Yes, it takes time…a lot of time. But it is an incredible legacy to pass down
to future generations.
To be continued…..
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