I can’t believe June is here already! With the bloom of Alaska’s beautiful wildflowers, I am reminded that we, too, are rejuvenated with the thought of outside activities.

Today, I want to write about one of my favorite wildflowers, Forget-Me-Nots. This humble, but cheery flower blooms profusely in Alaska’s alpine meadows in June and July. This diminutive flower looks small and fragile, but thrives in rocky, open territory too rugged for other plants to survive.

Forget-Me-Nots lie dormant through our Alaska winters, and return right on schedule every summer to remind us that though life may be hard for a season, the sun does return and there is much to smile about.

The Forget-Me-Not was chosen as Alaska’s state flower in 1917 and it holds a special meaning at my law practice. You could say those small blue flowers embody a good bit of our mission. Every one of us wants to be remembered for something. How many songs have been written on the subject of memories? To be remembered is a universal desire.

We want to be remembered

When it’s all said and done, we’d like our days here to mean something. And most of us would like to be remembered positively with respect, love, or admiration. What many people don’t realize is that your acts today will create an impression after you depart this life.

A person who does not take the time to leave some instructions for their loved ones might create a situation in which family members go into probate for months or years. We’ve all seen high profile examples of this: Aretha Franklin’s four-day funeral was planned with great attention to detail, right down to three outfit changes! But her family is in legal limbo that will likely last for years, following the discovery of three handwritten wills.

Someone who might have been overlooked in this busy life can create a lasting positive impression simply by leaving some well-organized final documents that clearly communicate their intentions. A perfect example of this is Richard Walters, a homeless man from Phoenix, Arizona, who passed in 2007 and left behind a fortune – $4 million dollars to be exact – benefiting several organizations and some very surprised friends.

We’re not like Forget-me-Nots; we don’t get a do-over

Every day, we create memories in the hearts and lives of others. Hopefully, they are good ones. Collectively, those memories become a reflection of our time here on earth. We are not like Forget-Me-Nots – we don’t get a “do over” every summer. We get one shot at this life.

Each day we choose how we want to be remembered by our actions. Actions create memories. Some people believe intentions create memories, but they don’t, noble though they may be. Intentions mostly live in your own head. You know the old saying, “Actions speak louder than words?” That goes for intentions, too.

I would love to help you create some positive memories for the important people or causes in your life. I do it every day in my Anchorage Elder Law and Estate Planning Practice. It’s one of the things I love most about my work.

I love to see the look on people’s faces when they discover that a parent, a friend, a long-lost relative or a distant acquaintance thought enough of them to mention them in their will. No matter how small you consider the gesture, it has a profound positive impact on the beneficiary – and creates a new memory about you that lasts a lifetime.

I would love to help you create some great future memories, too, in this summer season of Forget-Me-Nots. Contact me online or call me at 907-334-9200 and let’s schedule a time to chat. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Connie Aschenbrenner