Don’t Leave Surprises!

I wrote here a few weeks ago about my friend whose mother was nearing death. Not unexpectedly, that end came soon after I posted the blog entry. My friend was, and still is, feeling rather rough around the edges – that is expected. The grief remains strong and close to the surface – also expected. As another dear friend put it, grief never really goes away, it evolves, and we learn to deal with it in all of its guises. Time really is about the only solution. Loss of a parent is among the top five stressors of our life. In my friend’s case, probably it falls even closer to the top right now because his father had died several years ago. My friend has now assumed the role of “ancestor” – the one at the front of the line. A new and rather humbling role.

My friend has also had some time now to discuss his mother’s estate, with his brothers and with their counselor. His mother left a Will, but it was rather generic, and the unexpected came out during the conversations. Another brother had been assuming that certain concessions would be made for him because he was seen as the primary care-taker of his mother during the declining years. He had thought that certain debts would die with his mother. But those concessions were not spelled out in her Will. His brothers beg to differ on his expectations, and so, along with dealing with the death of their mother, they are now also dealing with an increasing animosity amongst themselves at just the moment when they really should be holding each other close and sharing their pain and loss. My friend’s new motto – Don’t Leave Any Surprises!

I am certain our own Springboard experts would agree wholeheartedly! A Will is an act of love. A clearly articulated Will is an act of supreme love. We all know we are going to die, and planning for that eventuality is the ultimate act of kindness to those we love the most.

Do you have your own end-of-life plan in place? Do your parents? It can be a difficult conversation, and Springboard’s team of compassionate professionals is aware of that and prepared to help you get it started and keep it going. Don’t leave surprises for your loved ones!

Springboard's™ programs and services are designed for you, regardless of where you are in life's journey. We invite you to explore and share our resources with employers, groups, organizations, professionals or anyone supporting others through a transition. Visit us today at http://www.launchingnewlives.com/