CURRENTS June 2017 | Page 13

Currents June 2017 By: Martin Zevin, P.A. Ethical Will: What Legacy Will You Leave? “David, remember this: you are a unique being. Find what is special about you, what you really love, and make it the top pri- ority in your life. Follow your heart, not your mind. Remember the magic message from The Little Prince: 'It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.' ” I wrote that in 1988 to my ten year old son as part of my first Ethical Will. I had been a lawyer for fifteen years and had prepared many Wills for clients. But it was- n't until I read an article by my Rabbi in the Temple newsletter that I discovered the concept of preparing a legacy not of our material estate but of our spiritual one. You don't need a lawyer for an Ethical Will. But the best advice I can give to a client (if he or she is open to it) is this: examine your own life. What are your values? What have you lived for? Has your life made a difference? What are your hopes for your loved ones? What mistakes did you make that, with God's grace, We Support Our Troops continued on page 14 > 13