Hello Les:
Encouraged by your invitation ( on CBC today) to share positive stories…as a child I always remembered how sad my mother was about the sibling rivalry and manipulations of a Will, in her own family back in Germany. I sensed her desire that my sister and I should one day get along ( we did not in our teenage years) and never fight over equity, property or any material thing left behind for us after she and our father died.
Mom passed away in 1993 ten years after our dad, and my sister and I had to meet from distant countries at my mother’s home to look after everything and dissolve her home and belongings.
The same feelings must have been instilled in both of us, because there was not the slightest argument about anything between us. Together we looked after everything and took care of her wishes, then distributed personal items that we had placed all in one room—to do last. We decided with each item who would like to have what , to keep a few years and then exchange again. Her bookends for instance, that she proudly bought in the 1920’s with her first salary, we now have one each!
Items that we both desired to keep…we flipped a coin.
Our two weeks together were truly sad, but also a wonderful reunion and everlasting bonding moment in our adulthood.
When we parted we promised to have two weeks together every five years; just the two of us. We kept our promise.
Best Regards,
Susanne & Gabriele
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