Last Will and Testament

The other day around second period, a good friend of mine asked me what he would get if I would die. I knew the answer of course- my bracelet that I'd been carrying around for so long, the one I never took off. He seemed pleased, knowing how sentimental it really was. But it got me thinking. How would my friends and family know he was telling the truth when he tried to pry the bracelet from my dead hand?

So I set out to write a will that day. It took me the better half of the school day, but eventually I had my last will and testament. While completely unofficial and handwritten on a piece of collegerule paper, it effectively dispersed all of my belongings of personal or monetary value to the people close to me. I was quite proud of myself and sealed the paper in an envelope which read "open on the event of my death."

But I made the mistake of mentioning it to other people.

Near everybody who saw it, including a few who read it, asked if I was contemplating suicide. (I wasn't) The ones who didn't told me I'm paranoid. (I'm not.) Now this got me thinking. Is this how peple reacted to that sort of document? I asked around again, and found most of the same results.

I talked to at least twenty people before finding somebody who's opinion differed. After I mentioned it to my theology teacher, she said "Good. Everybody should have a will." I smiled, realizing the truth in it. What a painful situation it would be to split up someone's belongings without actually having directions from them.

So my piece of advice to those who read this is to take some time off this weekend to write a will. It's a good thing to have, whether your fourteeen or grandma moses.



"Even at our birth, death does but stand aside a little. And every day he looks towards us and muses somewhat to himself whether that day or the next he will draw nigh." -Robert Bolt