A will for the way

I'm still in Canada, but flight time is drawing near. Getting ready for a major journey has kindled action on some neglected tasks, including the update of our wills. It's funny to think about now, but the first time I got a will was back in 1985 when my young family was getting ready to go to Kenya. We never needed it. Our will lay unread in the dark recesses of a bank vault.

Still, travel abroad is a great catalyst to get things done. I don't really expect an updated will to be needed anytime soon, but a sense of prudence kicks in as I prepare to fly away. A desire to ensure that affairs are in order rises to the surface. Just in case scenarios come to the fore. Protection and care of those near and dear becomes an active priority. Travel of any sort carries certain risks. Travels in countries like Ethiopia add a degree of hazard. Travel in places like Israel and Jordan, especially at a time of heightened celebration (Israel turns 60 on May 15) introduces new layers of complexity.

So we do the prudent thing and make sure the will makes sense, even if it stays out of sight for decades. In just more than a month I'll be back home, hanging out with family and friends and getting reacquainted with my office. Soon enough it will be like I never went away.

Opportunities that suit a person like this journey fits me don't present themselves everyday. Then it takes a lot to make them actually happen. It has taken a lot. However, I've heard it said that where there's a will, there's a way. Maybe that's why.