Ethical Will
As I watched Dr. Andrew Weil's “Healthy Aging" DVD over the weekend I expected to hear tips on a healthy diet, exercise, maybe some recommendations on vitamins and/or supplements--but what really got my attention, being an estate planning lawyer, was his recommendation of an ethical will as "a gift of spiritual health."
Unlike other estate planning documents that specify your wishes regarding your assets and medical decisions, an ethical will refers to transferring your values, experiences and personal stories to your family or community. It is an intimate and more personal document that doesn't have a legal standing, but in some circumstances it might even be more cherished by your loved ones.
Ethical wills have a very interesting and long history tracing back thousands of years. You can find a historical overview of their origins and uses through medieval to modern times by clicking here.
Today you can find many free resources on the Web on how to start writing an ethical will, but in essence you can start writing it at any point, and then whenever compelled keep adding to it. As a highly personal letter, it can contain your most cherished memories, favorite quotations, desires and wishes for you children and grandchildren, reasons behind certain decisions or perhaps little known details of your life. It can contain life lessons you learned, people who had the most impact on you and why or might be something entirely different but relevant to your life.
Creating a meaningful legacy is really what estate planning is all about (you can find my blog on this topic here) and the addition of your personal story or letter can only add to that legacy.
