My wife, Robyn, and I just returned home from a wonderful vacation in Paris and London where we had an incredible time. We made sure we saw all the typical tourist stops on our trip. We went on several tours, ate all the local foods (especially crepes in Paris, and fish and chips in London), and we took pictures of everything… and I mean everything! Our cameras, backpacks, and tennis shoes easily gave away that we were tourists!
As we were touring around, I was amazed by how many massive monuments and intricately carved statues have withstood changes in leadership, world wars, and ultimately, time. Most of the structures we saw were built to remember an important person, or a great leader of England and France and their accomplishments. Another thing we were surprised by were the amount of grave sites inside the various churches we visited. There are burials of kings and queens dating back hundreds of years. There are also burial sites of politicians, civic leaders, artists and poets all within the walls of the churches. To us, this signified the place they held, and still hold within our society.
Since I grew up around the funeral industry, I was very intrigued by the amount of burials that took place within the churches. From Westminster Abby and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London to Notre Dame and Les Invalides in Paris, these magnificent structures were not just a place to worship, but also a place to remember the greatest among them who had passed on. They were a place to leave a lasting legacy for some of the most important historical figures in the world.
Seeing all of this really made me realize how important funeral planning and legacy planning really is to our society. For thousands of years people all across the world have built monuments to honor those who have passed. From the pyramids in Egypt to the catacombs in Rome, and from the cathedrals in Europe to the hallowed grounds of Arlington Cemetery, burial sites are an important way for us to remember those who’ve come before us.
Walking around and seeing the burial places of former kings and emperors of Europe really made me want to know more about their lives, and their legacy. It compelled me to read about who they were, and what they stood for. It inspired me to do more in my life, and in some cases, it made me want to make sure that I didn’t make the same mistakes they did.
It also made me realize how important sharing our personal history, values, traditions, and wisdom really is. We may not be kings and queens, but we have the opportunity to influence the future generations of our family. They will want to know “our story,” so we need to work now to share it with them and to help them remember us long after we’re gone.
Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.
Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.
Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd Ste 240
San Diego, CA 92124
(800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com
- Death Benefits for Veterans - November 28, 2011
- Remembering Steve Jobs - October 31, 2011
- Hope for a Legacy - September 26, 2011
