by Stephen B. Yim, Attorney at Law

I had been preparing to write about the importance of conversation in estate planning while watching a documentary on HBO called Cries From Syria. In the midst of this heart-wrenching story about the Syrian situation—a girl, who could not have been older than 8 or 9—facing death from starvation and preparing her will. It had nothing to do with money. Her will expressed the basic foundational needs each of us as human beings share — love and caring of family, food and shelter. This experience moved me to share her will with you.
A girl living in a Syrian refugee camp.

A girl living in a Syrian refugee camp.

For me, as much as I felt a deep sadness over the plight of the Syrian people, I could not help but feel gratitude for all that I have, and guilt for ever feeling a “need” for more. I hope this will from a young Syrian girl moves you as it did me.

“I felt that I was going to die. Because of that, I wrote my will. This is my will. I ask you, my mother, to remember me. Prepare my bed every night and remember my continuous smiles. And you, my sister, tell my friends that I died from starvation. And you, my brother, remember when you and I were hungry. Oh angel of death, go ahead and catch my soul so that I can eat in paradise. Don’t worry family, I will eat for you in paradise as much as I can.”  N

Stephen B. Yim, Attorney at Law
2054 S. Beretania St., Honolulu HI 96826

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