A WILL FOR THE DEMONS IN YOUR LIFE

I walked into the MICU room, the sound of what I viewed to be a massive respirator greeted me. There on the hospital bed was my uncle - my favorite uncle. Yet, the lifeless shell said something very obvious - he was no longer there. Sure he had aged, he had grown thinner, though he was never a large man. He was gone. The task of removing him from life support still had to be made, yet as I stroked his hair on that Friday evening and rubbed his shoulder, I thought about how life really is available only for the second we inhale and exhale.

My uncle officially died on a Saturday morning, yet for him, for a man who lived his life by his terms, not caring what anyone else thought - he died the moment that determination to be him left. It left, according to the doctor with the initial stroke that landed him in MICU. I thought about all of the little things he had taught me over the years - through his spoken advice and his actions. While I did not always agree with what he did, he was always true to himself, even admitting that the he could not overcome the narcotic demons that had plagued him since his military service in Vietnam. He lived his life, by his terms, yet tormented by demons. Demons - addictive, negative, defeating, disturbing, damning, damaging and tormenting behaviors, habits, practices and mindsets.

I can say the same thing. For there are some "demons" figuratively and perhaps even literally speaking that have struggled with for years. If we put aside the spiritual arguments, jargon and rhetoric long enough, most of can confess to the same thing. The demon may be of a sexual nature, a financial nature, a health nature or even an emotional nature - yet we struggle with it and every once in awhile it gets the best of us. Until we decide enough is enough and send the demon back to hell. I have often heard older women say to younger women involved in bad relationships, "baby when you get good and tired, and you have had enough then you'll do something about it." I believe the same holds true for our demons.

These boogers (ok yuck) put a significant part of our lives on respirators breathing for us. We have to get to the point when we decide to take the demons off of life support. Their living will has been the presence and participation in our lives in a haunting and often devastating manner. A dear friend and mentor, is also an attorney, specializing in estate plans. I have marveled at the details of some of the cases she handles and have witnessed firsthand how accurate she is in proclaiming every one should have documents in place detailing their desires in the event of incapacity and death. I realized as we watched my uncle's body react to the welcoming seconds of death, that I did not want to go a step further in my life with the pressure of negative behaviors and practices weighing me down.

I have decided to write them out of my will. So why don't you do the same? This will is a bit different, because in it, you are going to list each and every demon. Instead of listing what you are leaving them upon your demise; you are listing what you are taking back from them and restoring in a powerful and meaningful way in your life.

To the demon of making financial decisions out a place of desperation, I take back every dollar lost in the process by creating and diligently following a sound budget and financial plan.

To the demon of obesity, I take back good health by making wiser eating choices and by following an exercise plan that is effective and comfortable for me.

You get the picture. How wild is that, writing a last will and testament for the demons that subconsciously become intrinsic parts of our nature? To those demons leave a first class ticket back to hell.

Arise, Write, Release,
I'm E. Claudette Freeman