THE LETTER WORTH MORE THAN YOUR ESTATE Some Inheritances Have Nothing to Do With Money
A traditional estate plan does an excellent job of addressing practical questions about who gets what and what happens if you can no longer make decisions for yourself. What it can’t do is tell your family who you were, what you believed, or what you hoped for them. That is where an ethical will comes in. An ethical will, sometimes called a legacy letter, is a way to pass down what a legal document leaves out. Instead of dividing up
your assets, it shares your values, life lessons, and wishes for the people you love. It carries no legal weight, and it does not have to be a formal letter at all. Some people record a video, put together a scrapbook, or simply leave a handwritten note. The idea is far older than you might think. Ethical wills can be traced back to the Bible and stories of people gathering their children to offer blessings and guidance before they passed on. In the book of Genesis, Jacob calls his sons to his bedside and gives each of them a bit of wisdom and instruction to carry on after his death. Centuries later, rabbis in the Middle Ages formalized the practice of writing documents outlining the values they hoped their children would carry forward. That tradition has outlasted its religious origins, and now people of any background who want their heirs to remember their values have adopted the practice.
What makes these documents so meaningful is the connection they preserve. In a moment of loss, a family gains something money can’t buy. They get the words and perspective of the person they miss. The act of writing an ethical will can be just as powerful for the author, as the process requires that you slow down and consider what truly mattered over a lifetime. Starting one is fairly simple. There’s no required format to follow, and you can’t really do it wrong. Some people spend a few weeks jotting down memories before they ever start writing. Others start by simply listing the handful of lessons they’d most want their children to have. Either way, you can always revisit and update it as the years go on. So, alongside instructions for your money, consider leaving something for your values. It may be the most lasting gift you pass down.
Those Pleading Puppy Eyes Finally Have an Answer The Secret Fast-Food Menu Made Just for Your Dog
You know the look. You’re halfway through the drive-thru line, and a furry face in the rearview mirror is watching your every move, certain that whatever you’re about to order should be shared. Well, there’s good news for both of you. A surprising number of fast-food chains keep treats on hand for dogs, and most of them are completely free or very close to it. The most popular one is probably the Starbucks Puppuccino, a small espresso cup filled with whipped cream. It has developed a small cult following among dog owners, who post photos online of their pup going after them. It’s almost always free. You can ask for it by name, or just request a little whipped cream in a cup. Dairy Queen offers something a bit more substantial called the Pup Cup, a small serving of vanilla soft serve topped with a dog biscuit. It runs around a dollar and change, and some chains will add an extra biscuit if your dog is making a good enough case for it. Chick-fil-A doesn’t advertise anything official, but if you ask at the drive-thru window, the staff will often hand over a few plain dog biscuits at no charge. In-N-Out has a proper off-menu item for pets called the Pup Patty, which is a plain beef patty cooked with no salt or seasoning. Fans of the chain have been ordering it for their dogs for years. Shake Shack may have the most indulgent option of the bunch. The restaurant’s Pooch-ini blends dog biscuits, peanut butter
sauce, and vanilla custard into a single cup. The chain also sells Bag O’Bones, which is a handful of dog-friendly biscuits baked by a New York pet bakery.
One honest word of caution before you go treat crazy. Plenty of dogs have trouble digesting dairy or rich foods, so it’s a good idea to check with your vet before handing over something new, especially the custard and soft-serve options. This article covers only a handful of the spots that offer something for your pup, so it never hurts to ask wherever you stop. Next time you swing through for a burger or coffee, remember that the whole family can get in on it, tail and all.
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