What I find extremely concerning about our passive outlook on life is our lack of preparation for death. Many of us think that if we don't think about death it will somehow pass us by or at least get distracted elsewhere. This mentality often leaves families devastated and ill prepared to carry on. From personal experience, my brother, Jay, at the age of 39 died of a heart attack. You can be sure that he did not expect to die at 39. He had not updated his pension and insurance at work to reflect his then 16-year-old daughter as his beneficiary. His pension for his work of 19 years and 6 months with the corporation he worked for reverted back to the company. Had he been active in ensuring the well-being of his daughter, she would have received his pension.
I think... we can choose to be passive and continue to let things happen to us or we can become active and take action to make things happen the way we truly desire. I don't believe anyone wants to create a hardship for their loved ones. To that end, we should all make sure that our affairs are in order. Check your insurance policies annually. Make sure that your beneficiaries are current. Make sure your family knows where important papers and information are kept. Be clear as to what your wishes are by talking to family and friends in a frank and honest manner. It doesn't help to ignore the inevitable. Since we never know when death will come, we should always be prepared.
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