What Is Your Legacy?

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis

When I consult with Seniors and their families, sooner or later, the conversation turns to finances.  I would say, most often, the parents are trying to save their money so they can leave it to their children.  This generation of Elders has been saving for a long time.  I would wager that 70 to 90-year-olds constitute the most frugal group of citizens in our country, not of necessity, but by choice born out of their experience during the depression. Ironically, the kids are telling us they want their parents to spend it and enjoy life to its fullest.  What kind of legacy do you want to leave for your children?  Many financial planners advise that you plan your retirement and take care of yourself first since you’ve been taking care of others for a long time.  It is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor, and if there is anything left---leave it to the kids.

But there is a more important legacy that we need to plan.   When the money is all gone, what’s left?  What legacy will you leave to your family and to the world?  Being around Seniors every day makes me realize what incredible gifts they possess. Their wisdom and experiences are material for great books!  When you have given your children love, security, and a moral compass, the results are priceless.  The legacy of service to community, church, country, et al. goes far beyond the material riches.  Money is not the most important thing to leave the kids.  The footprint of life is not made of greenbacks; it is made of a lifetime of small impressions, one day at a time, and one example at a time.  When you have the privilege of sitting with multiple generations that are planning for the future, the legacy of respect and compassion become apparent.

"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." Winston Churchill