 |
| |
 |
Planning for the unexpected...the
inevitable
by James A. Owens
If I were to tell you that I have no will and that my
life insurance had lapsed, you'd probably say, "James,
what are you thinking?" Especially, given the fact
that as the Executive Vice President for the Sigma Nu
Educational Foundation, I know the importance of having
a will and making certain that my family is financially
secure at the time when I enter the chapter eternal. I
guess it's like when someone lives in Washington, DC and
they never take the time to tour the Washington Monument.
When we are so close to something, we think, "I can
do that anytime." Let me share a true short story
with you . . .
A few months ago, I was notified that Brother Arthur B.
Rupert (Vermont) had entered the chapter eternal. Art's
death hit me extremely hard not only because I'd come
to know him personally, but also because I'd decided to
ask him if he'd be willing to speak at the dedication
of the Sigma Nu Memorial Flag Pavilion. Unfortunately,
this decision was made on the day prior to his death and
before I knew it the day had gotten away from me. So,
I decided that I would call him the following morning.
Knowing Art as I did, I recalled that he'd have his usual
7:00 AM breakfast at the Sea Biscuit Cafe on the Isle
of Palms, SC. Over the years, Art and I had always met
there over breakfast. Well, the following morning while
sitting at my desk participating in a conference call,
I received the e-mail notifying me that Art had passed
away overnight.
Ever since I received the news of Art's passing, I've
been thinking of writing an article for THE DELTA
that would inspire others to look toward the future as
Brother Art had. You see, Brother Art had called in July
of 2003 to inform the Foundation that he'd increased the
amount that he was leaving to Sigma Nu in his will. I
still recall our conversation on that day. Art was so
proud that he would be able to benefit future generations
of Sigma Nu brothers.
Last week, I was returning from a business meeting in
Baltimore and was enjoying the drive down the Shenandoah
Valley on Interstate 81. As usual, I was listening to
talk radio and thinking about what needed to be done over
the remainder of the week. Suddenly, I began hearing the
high pitch squeal of tires. I looked in the rear view
mirrors only to see that the car directly beside me had
begun to swerve and was coming towards my lane. Since
we were on an overpass, I had very little room to maneuver,
but fortunately was able to get far enough over to avoid
the car, which by now was spinning out of control. Ultimately,
the car careened head-on into the concrete railing. Luckily
for the driver, her air-bag deployed and with the exception
of bruising and a few cuts there were no other injuries.
When you witness an event such as this, especially
if you barely avoid being part of it, you tend
to look at things differently. So, for the next
few miles, all I thought about was that I needed
to get with my insurance agent and my attorney
as soon as I returned to Lexington. Well, 22 miles
from the car wreck, I came upon a pickup truck
hauling a trailer which was driving next to a
motorcycle. What you probably do not know is that
for the last 2-3 years, I've contemplated getting
a motorcycle. When I saw the motorcycle, my mind
immediately went back to the earlier accident,
and I thought, "Boy, I'm happy that I was
not on a motorcycle because I might not be here
right now." About that time, the driver of
the pick-up decided to change lanes. The motorcycle
was forced off of the interstate resulting in
a violent crash. For the second time in less than
one (1) hour, I had narrowly avoided being part
of a crash. Having witnessed that crash, I was
confident that the cyclist was deceased. I later
learned that although he had sustained many broken
bones and internal injuries, he was in stable
condition by late that evening.
Why relay the events of this day, you might be thinking.
Well, as Benjamin Franklin said, "In this world
nothing is certain but death and taxes." While
we may not know when or how we will die, we do need to
plan for the inevitable. At the very least it will give
you the peace of mind in knowing that your family, loved-ones
and favorite charities are being treated as you desire.
So, take a few minutes to review your estate plans and
to make certain that your life insurance is adequate.
If you would like to learn more about including Sigma
Nu in your estate plans, visit our website
or call me at 1-888-236-5323.
As for my own peace of mind, within a week after witnessing
these accidents, I had started the life insurance process
and now have coverage. Also, my wife Lucia and I have
scheduled an appointment with our attorney. By the way,
in case you were wondering, I've decided against the motorcycle!
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
