Contents

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

Introduction

Background

Walking with Coffins

Changing Our Lives

The Conversion of Ebenezer Scrooge

Bridging the Chasm

Destiny Descends like a Force of Nature

Change as a Wake-Up Call

Change Forced upon Us

Living Our Legacies

Improving Your Own Backyard

Surf Sisters

Game Changer

Science Educator and Environmental Steward

Designing a Business to Give Back

Leaving Ourselves in Others

Teacher

Grandmother

Mentor

Philosopher King

Who Tells Our Story

Why Do Family Stories Matter?

Where Do We Start?

Sylvia Plath

Censoring Ourselves

Emily Carr

Curating Our Digital Selves

History Will Have Its Way with Us

Our Pasts Catch Up with Us

James Baldwin

Jane Austen

Instructions from the Grave

Do I Need a Will?

Is My Will Legally Binding?

Where Are My Documents?

Does Asking Mean Getting?

What about My Remains?

What about My Stuff?

What If I Don’t Allocate My Things?

What about a Family Cottage?

Does Unequal Treatment Matter?

Who’s Your Family?

Can We Get It Right?

The Dubious Honour

Whom Should We Choose as Executor?

How Much Discretion for Our Executor?

Franz Kafka’s Legacy

William’s Legacy

Andy Warhol’s Legacy

Revisiting Our Choice of Executor

Giving Back

How Do I Choose My Legacy Cause?

What Are Some Legacy Options?

Developing a Family Legacy of Giving

Children vs. Charity

Social Ventures

“In Memoriam” Donations

Leaving a Piece of Ourselves

Letters from the Grave

Transferring Skills

Things with Heart and Soul

Actual Parts of Ourselves

Conclusion

Acknowledgements

Notes

About the Author

Also by Lyndsay Green

Copyright

About the Publisher