What do you leave behind?

In the past, when a parent passed away, there would be the reading of the will.

Sometimes it would be talked about before the parent passed away. A mother telling a daughter that she gets grandma’s dishes, and son is told that a special watch that a grandfather had, will be handed down to the son.

 

Of course, if there is the money, but as the economy goes, it doesn’t seem like that will be a fight anymore. If anything, the kids may be afraid of what Mom and Dad still owe.  And if there is a house still, it is in the new push of reverse mortgage?

 

I suppose there are still siblings who fight for what they think is theirs. And a will is not as popular as it was.  Probably it is safe to say that it is a 50/50 chance of there being one.

 

Most of us feel we don’t have much, so no one will want it.  Also as my sister-in-law’s daughter put it so applicably, “Mom, everyone’s stuff is only one day away from a yard sale, after you die”…. Lot of truth to that.  Mine will either go in the trash, or Goodwill.  Never been one for material things, so just have things that please me.. which means it probably won’t be pleasing to others.  The few things are sentimental to me.. but I doubt it will be to my children.  And they aren’t worth a lot of money, so yard sale will be poor.  Lol..

 

So what does one do with one’s stuff?  Use to be you saved records, some have old furniture.. but not many do collections anymore.. and they are replaced by modern things..  And with the family so mobile, grandparents are distance and barely known. So Grandpa’s watch or Grandma’s dishes don’t mean anything to the generation of now

 

So what do you have, that means so much to you..be it something that your parents passed down to you.. or something you purchase… that you will be passing down? And the person you have in mind to leave it behind to… will they want it… or will it become a yard sale item?

 

Myself, I put out the word years ago.. that I was downsizing my things.. and was there anything I had that they would like.. to say so now.. because it might not be here still when I die. And if I plan on keeping it.. I would put their name on it.

A couple spoke up.. and I gave it to them..  Sure helped out with my downsizing.. but I still have a lot to go.

 

Kids aren’t as sentimental as we are or were.