I have been asked, by more than one person, if being in the life insurance is a downer, as death is always a topic. While that sentiment is understandable, personally I find it to be quite uplifting, as it reminds me to be grateful for each day.
We all know that we are not guaranteed tomorrow, but amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it’s easy to lose sight of that very basic fact. We tend to take it for granted that we will be here tomorrow, and next week and next month and next year and so on.
The occasional reminder of just how fleeting life can be can serve several purposes. First, it can remind us not to waste time, which is a limited resource. Second, it can remind us to be grateful for the time that we do have. And third, it could inspire us to do something extraordinary.
No matter how important we think we are, the sad fact is that in the grand scheme of things, very few people will know we even lived, and even fewer will miss us when were gone; our family and some close friends and that’s about it.
But don’t despair. Although many more people have heard of Donald Trump, Theresa May, Benjamin Netenyahu and Kim Jong Un than have heard of any of us, even they are only known to a small fraction of the 7.5 billion people who inhabit this planet.
So the something extraordinary needn’t be on a global scale, or even on a national or state scale. Look around your community. Many of the parks, buildings, thorofares and sports fields are named after someone who donated time or money (oftentimes, both) and are hence memorialized.
Life insurance is an integral part of the charitable giving arena. A policy is sometimes procured with the charity as the beneficiary, but sometimes the beneficiary is changed to the charity after the policy has outlived its original purpose.
For example, let’s say a young college graduate procures a whole life policy as the cornerstone of his protection program. Maybe his parents or siblings are the original beneficiaries, but he changes it to his spouse once he marries and it remains her until her death a half a century later.
He would then change the beneficiary. He could name his children, but if they are financially secure, he might name a charity, perhaps the hospital or nursing home or hospice center that cared for his wife. Or maybe his alma mater, or any other organization that he believes in, but didn’t have the surplus resources to donate previously. That may keep his name in the public consciousness for a while after he’s gone.
Getting back to my original point about being cognizant about our limited time here, I came across a site that some may deem morbid but will no doubt keep you focused on your time here. Here it is..