Words to live by

It is 8 pm and a comfortable 25 degrees. There is a breeze that is only noticeable when I look up and see the trees move. I have found the perfect spot to sit and think, read, blog. I'm sitting on the front step of the house with my back against the door. The overgrown cedar and pine hedge provides an effective screen from the traffic on the front street (not that it's that busy). I finally have some time all to myself but I am happy to share some of it with my friends.

This morning I was reviewing some articles at work--editing for grammar, style and mechanics. The articles were written by financial advisors and submitted for approval to send for publication. usually the pieces are pretty dry and not well written. Sometimes I learn something about investing or money management. Today I came across the word intestate. I had never seen the word before. I first thought it was a typo but spell check didn't seem to have issue with it. So I looked it up.

Intestate: to die without a will.

Actually, the formal definition is, to die without a legal will, and the origin of the word dictates that it be taken in the context of last testaments, but I prefer the more simplified version because it allows for some interesting thinking (I think).

Intestate: To die without a will...to what? A will to live? To die? To honour? To love? To fight? To learn? To believe?

Your financial planner will tell you that you don't want to die intestate because it will mean that determining the distribution of your assets then becomes the responsibility of a probate court. By my definition of the word, I wonder if it is possible to die without being intestate. If you're dead, you've given up the will to do something, haven't you? But who cares, you're dead! The bigger concern I think is if you're living intestate, because if you're going through life without a will, good or bad, where does that leave you?

You're never too young to plan for your death, and you're never too old to find a new reason to live.

Not exactly noble or anything, but here's one reason to live: live for days when you come home wondering how exactly you're going to pay all those bills that come with moving only to open your mail and find a cheque for $820.58 from your lawyer's office. I phoned my parents and told them I won the mortgage lottery.

The cash is a refund of sorts. Before taking possession I had to write a cheque for the rest of the down payment plus property taxes, lawyers fees, and an estimate of the interest due to cover the period between taking possession and my first mortgage payment and a bunch of other stuff. Or something like that. Anyway, usually they over budget so once the paperwork clears you can get some money back. I had completely forgotten about this until I saw the cheque. Tie that with the surprising news that my $0.20 off/litre gas card does not expire this month (as it says on the back of the card), with only half the limit used, but in fact will be of use until August 31, 2009 and I am feeling pretty lucky. Maybe I should take that cheque to Vegas. Or do I put it in my will? :P