Sunday, December 1, 2019

On giving...

    "In a letter to his mother in 1750, (I was just a boy 😊) Benjamin Franklin caught her up on what he was doing. 'I read a great deal, ride a little, do a little Business for myself, more for others; retire when I can, and go (into) the Company when I please; so the Years roll around, and the last will come; when I would rather have it said,  He lived usefully, than He died rich.'" Quoted by Chris Farrell in an article in the Star Tribune, December 1, 2019, P. D5, the article entitled Giving is the key to living usefully. Ferrell writes, "The difficult question is how to stay focused  on what matters when earning and managing our money.  The answer lies with putting giving at the core of household finances...."
     When Joanne was raising money for charitable causes, with persons of some resources, she advocated the "additional child" approach. She encouraged persons to do their estate planning and include a charitable bequest as if there was another child in the family. So, a couple with two children would divide their estate in thirds; a third to each child and a third to charity.
    Much has been written and said about the secret of 'the meaning of life." Mostly  it's been wasted breath and newsprint. The meaning of life is so simple it hides in plain sight :the meaning of life is giving. Fascinating isn't it, that it shows up on the Business Page of the paper authored by a financial planner?

Takk for alt,

Al

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