Nearing Home - Billy Graham [22]
Shortly after the funeral, his family made an unsettling—even shocking—discovery: he had never gotten around to preparing his own thorough estate plan. Nor had he informed anyone in his family about his financial affairs; they didn’t know what property or securities he owned (if any) or even if he had a safe deposit box. Although from time to time he had expressed a desire to leave some of his estate to his church and to several local charities, as well as to help a widowed sister, in the end none of those verbal wishes were fulfilled. It took many months (and much expense) to sort out his affairs, and it all could have been prevented if he’d only done what he had advised countless others to do over the years: prepare a comprehensive estate plan. Why he never got around to doing this or helping his family understand his financial situation, no one knows. Perhaps—like many—he couldn’t quite face the fact that he was getting older and that someday he would die.
Whether it is the question of making a will or one of a dozen other practical issues, growing older confronts us with a number of challenges. If we don’t take care of these necessary details, others will step in, possibly creating difficulty for those we have left behind. It is our duty to be responsible for handling matters that affect us individually long after we are gone.
Not every decision can be made in advance, of course; some practical issues can be dealt with only as they occur. No one can predict, for example, if a spouse is going to break a hip or retirement savings are going to shrink because of stock market reversals, much less plan in advance exactly how we will deal with either situation. But some issues can be decided in advance, and when that is the case, we need to take action. God does not want us to leave a legacy of resentment or conflict or confusion behind us, but this can easily happen if we neglect the practical issues that press upon us as we grow older. Remember that “a prudent man gives thought to his steps” (Proverbs 14:15), and “everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:40).
The older we get, the harder it becomes to deal with sensitive issues and important decisions that confront us. They may be too burdensome or complicated for us to sort out at that stage of our lives, or perhaps we would rather avoid potential conflicts and tensions that may arise with others. They also may trigger worrisome thoughts about the inevitable march of time or even make us question our own ability to make sound decisions as we grow older. In addition, the stress of an unexpected illness or the death of a spouse or some other crisis may preoccupy us so much that we are incapable of focusing on other issues. Many older people, doctors tell us, also battle with depression, and a common characteristic of someone who suffers from depression is an inability to make decisions. During trying times, I would encourage you to seek professional advice while considering several matters. My hope is that as you read through these pages you will be encouraged to follow through on them—both for you and those you love.
MASTERING YOUR MONEY
“I’ve never met an older person,” an attorney told a friend of mine recently, “who didn’t worry about their money and whether or not they’ll have enough to last them until the end of their days. Even people who have no reason to worry still do.”
Our society places too much emphasis on money,