It’s Memorial Day, a day when we’re supposed to be thinking of all the people that gave their lives so we can be safe here in the good ole U S of A.

And I hope you’ve taken a moment to at least acknowledge your gratitude for those people – there are a lot of them and without their courageous actions we definitely wouldn’t be where we are today.

That got me thinking, though, about those people that died, and the people that are going to die in the future (including you and me), and what REALLY matters when it comes to legacy.

In my opinion (and that’s all this is), money is wonderful but fleeting. What sticks around for the test of time are life philosophies and values (if you don’t believe me, read this article chronicling the Vanderbilt legacy vs. the Rockefeller legacy).

Sure, minding the money is important, but if the history isn’t there, it doesn’t take long before everything is gone.

Which gets me to my main point – stop hiding your past from your family.

Make it a point to go down memory lane with your kids, with your grandkids. Hit the voice memos app on your phone and start talking about the things you remember from your life and the lessons those things taught you.

Recall your triumphs, but more importantly, recall your FAILURES. Bring them to the surface – share them so your family can learn from them.

My dad died several years ago. My grandparents (his parents) shortly thereafter. My mother’s father (my grandfather) died years ago.

All of their stories, for the most part, are lost to me. Their childhoods. Their memories. Their passions.

Gone.

I’ve done my best to suck a lot of the stories out of my mom (and if you’re reading this mom – there’s more to come!), and I’m doing my best to share my life with my kids as they grow older.

The bottom line is this – your “boring, normal life” is fascinating to your people. They want to hear your stories. They want to know about you outside of your life as parent or child or sibling. So share with them.

And, most importantly, ask questions of your people to get them to share with you. It’s not natural for most, so you’ve got to take the initiative to dive in.

I guarantee you you won’t be disappointed. :)

Cheers,

Christopher Small
CMS Law Firm LLC

PS – of course we’re here if you need estate planning or probate help. Click here to talk estate planning. Click here to talk probate.