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You Can’t Take It With You
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February 2026
Life Beyond the Grind THE GIFT OF UNSCHEDULED TIME A Question to Ask
Every February, Groundhog Day makes its usual appearance on the calendar, and I can’t help thinking of the movie. Bill Murray wakes up to the same song, the same town, and the same people over and over. Nothing on the outside changes. At first, it feels like a trap. Later, it becomes something else. I hear a version of that feeling from clients all the time. When people stop working, they often tell me they do not know what day it is anymore. While they were working, the “same day on repeat” feeling came from alarm clocks, commutes, and deadlines. Now, the day blends together in a different way. Some people love the freedom. Others feel restless or a little lost. The outside schedule has gone quiet, so the question becomes what you do with the inside of the day.
As people get older, I see many of them circling back to things they already know and enjoy. They’re not always chasing brand-new skills. They pull out an old recipe and show a grandchild how to make a batch of cookies. They dust off a hobby they never had time for in their working years. They sit with friends and swap stories without thinking about the clock. I once heard about a workshop space for older men. They would show up, work on their own small projects, and talk while they sanded, glued, and fixed things. Nobody had to come in with a big plan. The simple act of being in the same room, working with their hands, gave them a reason to show up and a place to belong. For a long time, many of us tried to live like machines. We judged ourselves by how much we could squeeze into a single day. The problem with that is if you load yourself up to the limit, there’s no room left for interruptions, relationships, hobbies, or rest. This season of life gives you a chance to build some margin back in. (or Answer for) a Loved One Asking and answering important questions helps preserve your family’s values and life lessons for generations to come. If you could reexperience one day of your life, which day would it be and why?
The calendar may look similar from one day to the next, but the way you live inside each day does not have to stay the same. You get to choose what fills that space, so give more of it to things and people who matter most to you.
I was recently at a continuing education conference in a hotel, and a small card on the nightstand said, “Today I am grateful for _____.” Simple as that. For some reason, it stuck with me. It can be easy to list the same three things again and again: family, health, a roof over your head. There is nothing wrong with that, but if you press yourself to name something new each day, you start to notice details you rushed past. That is one way to turn a “Groundhog Day” stretch into something different. The town may look the same. Your house, street, and morning routine may not change much. But your attention can change. Gratitude has a way of sharpening your focus and reminding you that even on an ordinary Tuesday, there is usually something worth noticing.
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” ECCLESIASTES 1:9 Philip J. Corson, Founder
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The Price of Planning Ahead INFLATION’S HIDDEN IMPACT ON YOUR ESTATE ago. Homes, cars, and investments all fluctuate in value due to inflation. In the 1950s, the average home sold for about $7,400. Today, it’s well over $370,000. Wages have also increased, albeit at a slower pace. That gap explains why inflation matters when estate planning.
Most of us notice inflation when we check out at the grocery store, not when we think about our estate plan. Prices for everyday items are creeping up, but those same price changes can also impact the value of what we own. When that happens, our estate plan may need a second look. Inflation means that money doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. A dollar today buys less than it did a few years
When the cost of goods and property rises, the total value of our estate rises with it. That sounds positive, but it can also push an estate closer to federal or state tax thresholds. A house valued at $1 million today might be worth $1.5 million in a few years, and that extra half-million could create new tax questions. Families sometimes find themselves paying more in taxes, only to watch those assets drop in value soon after. The best way to handle this issue is to plan early and keep your plans updated. We can start by reviewing our estate annually and comparing it to current tax limits. Adding beneficiary designations to accounts, such as life insurance or retirement funds, keeps those assets outside the taxable estate. Giving modest gifts to family or charities can reduce overall value while allowing us to see the results in our lifetimes. Inflation is constantly changing, and our plans should adapt to it accordingly. Reviewing what we’ve built every year helps ensure that our loved ones receive what we intend, without unwelcome surprises when the time comes.
MEET THE BEAR WITH A BIONIC PAW A SECOND CHANCE FOR VASI
On the outskirts of Bengaluru in India, a rescued sloth bear is getting around on all fours again. His name is Vasikaran (Vasi, for short), and after years of moving gingerly on three legs, he’s making history. At the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Center, Vasi recently became the first animal of his kind in the world to receive a prosthetic paw, and his caregivers say he’s taken to it with ease. Vasi’s story began with tragedy. Years ago, he was caught in a poacher’s wire snare that left his back paw so badly injured it had to be amputated. Wildlife SOS, a nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates India’s wildlife, brought him to the rescue center over five years ago. Once he recovered, the staff realized he couldn’t survive in the wild with only three working legs, so they built him a permanent home. Vasi, who’s known for his calm personality
and love of peanut butter, quickly became one of the team’s favorite residents.
Then came the chance to give him something more. Derrick Campana, founder of Bionic Pets and known for fitting prosthetics on everything from raccoons to elephants, took on the challenge of designing one for a wild bear. First, the team helped Vasi adjust by wrapping his leg in soft cloth. Once the bear grew comfortable, Campana created a mold and built a custom paw using plaster for flexibility and crampons to mimic claws. When Vasi tried it on, he stood taller. Soon, he was walking evenly and balancing his weight on all four legs. Caregivers say it improved his confidence, posture, and mood. The device is removed occasionally to keep it from
irritating him, but most days, he strolls through his enclosure without any issue.
Vasi’s now walking around the way he was meant to and thriving because of it. For him and everyone who helped him get there, that’s what a happy ending looks like.
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In 1989, a children’s show featuring singing puppets managed something no politician had. It slipped quietly across the Iron Curtain. For the first time, “Fraggle Rock” appeared on television in the USSR, bringing Jim Henson’s underground world of Fraggles, Doozers, and Gorgs into Soviet living rooms. The story began years earlier. By the early 1980s, Henson was already famous for “The Muppet Show” and “Sesame Street,” but he wanted to create something bigger than ratings. He dreamed of a show that carried a message of peace and wasn’t bound by national borders or languages. Puppets, he believed, were the perfect characters for that type of program. The result was “Fraggle Rock,” a hopeful experiment in connection. The Fraggles didn’t reach Russia overnight. During the Cold War, few American programs managed to cross the Iron Curtain. But in 1982, Henson’s fantasy film “The Dark Crystal” became a surprise hit at the Moscow Film Festival. There were sold-out screenings and crowds lined up outside theaters. That success opened a door. As the Soviet Union began to change under Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms, Soviet television grew more open to ideas from outside countries. On Jan. 8, 1989, Soviet audiences saw their first episode of “Fraggle Rock.” The response was overwhelming. Ratings were unprecedented, and later that year, the entire first season began airing, dubbed with a Russian narrator. It arrived months before the Berlin Wall fell. For Henson, who died the following spring, the Fraggles’ appearance on Soviet airwaves was one of his last great accomplishments. After Henson’s passing, his dream lived on. A few years later, Russia produced its own version of “Sesame Street.” For a time, children on both sides of the world grew up watching the same small creatures solve problems with laughter. Maybe that was the peace Henson hoped for all along. Fraggle Rock’s Cold War Breakthrough Puppets Behind the Iron Curtain
TAKE A BREAK
DREAM EQUALITY FESTIVAL GROUNDHOG HEARTS KING LINCOLN MUFFIN PANCAKE
RABBIT ROSES
Mouthwatering Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
• 12 oz package vanilla wafers • 16 oz cream cheese, softened • 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 21 oz can cherry pie filling
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. In two 24-cup miniature muffin pans, line each space with a paper liner. 3. Using a food processor or resealable plastic bag, crush vanilla wafers into a fine crumb. 4. Press 1/2 teaspoon of crumbs into each paper liner. 5. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. 6. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top. 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. 8. Cool completely in the pan. 9. Top each mini cheesecake with about a teaspoon of cherry pie filling before serving. Enjoy!
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Living Well When Life Slows Down
Inflation-Proofing Your Estate for the Future
A Gentle Giant’s Return
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Mouthwatering Mini Cheesecakes
The Day the Fraggles Reached the USSR
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A Hollywood Actor’s Thoughtful Final Act
THE PLAN BEHIND THE LEGEND Estate Lessons From Paul Newman
Paul Newman was more than a movie legend. He built race cars, funded hospitals, and turned salad dressing into one of the most successful charitable brands in the world. But one of his quietest accomplishments happened away from the spotlight. When he planned his estate, he handled it with the same thought and discipline he brought to everything else. When he passed away in 2008, Newman’s estate was worth hundreds of millions of dollars. That alone isn’t what makes his plan remarkable. What stands out is how carefully he put it together. He had a detailed will, a private trust to keep his finances out of the public
foundation that still bears his name. Newman’s image, his company, and the earnings that continue to fund projects across the country also went to the foundation. He also took care of the practical side of things. By setting up the right trusts, he delayed certain taxes, ensuring his wife would be cared for before the government took its share. Newman even included provisions for various asset types, including his race cars and airplanes. He directed the proceeds from those to his residuary estate. Ultimately, his plan was practical, generous, and designed to last.
eye, and two trusted people ready to manage the details. Newman even included a clause discouraging legal disputes because he knew arguments over money can divide even the closest of families. His decisions reflected what mattered in his life. Newman’s wife, Joanne Woodward, kept their home and personal belongings. His Oscars, Golden Globes, and other awards went to the
Most of us don’t have a Hollywood fortune to divide, but we still face the same questions. Whom do we trust to handle things when we’re gone? What should continue to work long after we stop? Newman showed that good planning has less to do with money and more to do with making things clear for the people you care about. And his name still funds good work, which is a legacy worth having.
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