If you’ve been working each week on your ethical will, you’ll have filled up a good many pages in your notebook. This week it’s time to put it all together.
Here’s what I’d suggest you do:
- Read each section ( Beginning, Values, Gratitude, Life lessons, Forgiveness, Regrets, Achievements, Hopes) from the beginning to the end and add any thoughts or comments that you might have missed the first time around. You may have some “Final Thoughts” that you wish to include.
- Look at some sample ethical wills here and get some ideas of how other people have composed their ethical will.
- Write out a first draft of your ethical will that incorporates the material you’ve assembled in your notebook over the last six weeks. Don’t try to sound “profound” – just write the way you talk. And remember that there is no “right way” to put you ethical will together. It’s your document and should reflect who you are as much as possible.
- Now read aloud your ethical will and rewrite anything you stumble over.
- Once you’re happy with your composition, find some good quality archival paper and acid free ink. This will ensure the preservation of your document.
- In your best handwriting, copy from your last draft a final version of your ethical will. Even if you’ve been using a computer up till now, I can’t stress enough how much more valuable your ethical will will be if it’s written in your own hand.
- At this point you have a number of options with your completed ethical will. You can keep it locked away to be given to the recipient after your death. You can deliver it by post or in person now. Or you can read it to the recipient before handing it over. The choice is up to you.
I hope you’ve found these past few weeks worthwhile and enjoyable. If you’ve any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me and I’ll try my best to help you.
Photo by Caitlin Heller
