Latest Postings

Who has 40,000 happy feet? ( Keith Kalish )
Ask the Dog Trainer-Where to find a dog. ( Cissy Sumner )
Care to T'ai Chi? ( Sita G. Harrison, The Alexis Agency )
School Creates Historic Production ( Jeremy Baker )
PARIS ( Sharon Anderson )

share a story | more postings »

YourHub.com \\ Vero Beach \\ Stories \\ Senior Scene

What is an Ethical Will?

e-mail to a friend | print this | link to this

Contributed by: Chris Loftus on 7/9/2008

I recently read about ethical wills in a professional newsletter. I read with interest that individuals today are writing these documents for their loved ones, to be read after their death. These wills are not the last wishes nor are they intended to disburse personal belongings. As the word implies, these wills deal with the ethics of the deceased.

Ethics. What is ethics? Webster defines ethics as " the discipline dealing with what is good and bad with moral duty and obligation. A set of moral principles and values. The principles of conduct governing an individual...". Using those definitions as a guideline, I have thought about this new document.

An ethical will is written by a person for a family. In them, an individual can leave their wishes, lessons learned and their beliefs as written word for those remaining to remember and perhaps follow. These documents can serve as a guiding beacon for a family. You might be asking, 'what exactly goes into these ethical wills and why do we need them?" The answers are many. You actually may not need an ethical will, you may not feel it is necessary. However, you may find the idea of writing down your own beliefs and principles that have guided your life might be of value. In today's technology, there are several options. Beside writing a letter, you could make a videotape, you could add your favorite music or taking it a step farther, you could write your memoir to be published.

Hollywood has filmed a number of movies with dramatic endings to a character's life where the family is gathered around as someone reads a letter to the family - their last communication. Past errors were forgiven, hearts mended and confidence regained from these parting words. The music swells in the background and it's another happy ending to a person's life.

I would like to suggest the more important issue at hand is living our days that our example is the beacon. No words would be needed. No ethical wills would be written because the life of the person is recalled through past actions, words and his ethics. As with many children, I have learned that my Father was far wiser than I had thought while he was alive. In his absence, his wisdom has become keener. He has left my family with a strong ethical will without ever writing a word. Have you known someone like that? History has given us many examples throughout the centuries.

I end with a question - are these ethical wills a result of a societal change? Perhaps that is worth studying more. What do you think?

[Report this as objectionable content.]

SUBMIT COMMENT

Rate the above story