What I want to pass on as a mediator
| 1.6 minutes reading time
As a mediator, I am the helping hand for advisory work and mediation in the event of a death. As a result, I see a lot of questions, uncertainty and also sadness among relatives. Death is part of life. Although it's sad, it can also be beautiful. For there is a beginning and an end. And in such a sad period, you would rather deal with the beautiful memories someone has of a loved one, as with discussions and issues that could have been prevented.
What do you want to leave behind for your loved ones?
When someone dies, there is a lot that needs to be done and arranged. It is therefore particularly nice for the grieving loved ones when someone has clearly recorded their wishes. If someone has not recorded this, the next of kin will be given the difficult task of making all choices on your behalf.
"Death is part of life. Although it's sad, it can also be beautiful. "
"Death is part of life. Although it's sad, it can also be beautiful. "
I think it's primarily your own responsibility to think about how you leave the world and how you want to leave the world behind. Regardless of your age or health, because something can always happen. Doing something is always better than nothing. In the unlikely event that something happens to you, there is always a chance of disagreement. But the clearer you are in your wishes and communicate this with the environment around you, the better. When you have clearly established what your wishes are with regard to your estate, the less room there is for discussion and disagreement among next of kin.
Make sure your last wishes are attainable
There are plenty of people who think about death. But sharing your wishes about your inheritance and legacy, putting them on paper and expressing them, that turns out to be a difficult conversation. It is also common for relatives to know that there is a will, codicil or similar document, but to find it they have to turn the whole house upside down. Only to end up empty-handed. You may have a will or codicil on your computer, but will your loved ones be able to find it too? Can someone even get into your computer if they need to?
It is important that we all engage in and normalize the conversation about death and our legacy. It's just part of life. When you leave clear wishes and instructions for after your death, you make the grieving process a little easier for the next of kin.
