The Secrets Latest Victim

The meaning of the word Inheritance-

a permanent or valuable possession or blessing that one receives by a gift or without purchase.

And this is what had claimed the middle son.

He became paranoid and angry.

He became self righteous and arrogant.

All traits his father had.

The middle son was convinced that there was more money out there.

He became convinced that his brother was hiding or stealing money from the estate.

The brother he accused was the same brother who had not change the estate any money from his tireless effort.

This brother who had found tens of thousands of dollars in abandoned property.

This brother who paid for their father's funeral and headstone out of his own pocket--the middle son contributed nothing.

This brother who had stood by him his whole life.

This brother who was his friend when he didn't have any.

This brother who gave him a place to go on holidays when he didn't have wife or anyone special to share it with.

This brother who invited him on family vacations so he wouldn't be alone.

This brother who forgave his inappropriate behavior.

This is the brother he now called dishonest.

This is the brother he now accuses of hiding things.

The secret has claimed it's next victim.

The brothers are estranged.

The Secret Manifest

More about my friend's family.

Their father was dead.

The sons arrived at their father's home and were shocked at what they found.

The house was a complete and utter disaster.

Newspapers and mail were covered floor of the downstairs.

It was piled 2-3 feet high.

There was a small path that went from the kitchen to couch.

The rest of the floor was covered.

The sons began to throw the mail into trash bags

Fifteen green garage bags of mail.

Piles upon piles of unopened mail.

Some dating back in the 1980's.

Why? Why was all this mail not opened?

The mail contained bank and brokerage account statements.

It too was not opened.

The son looked through back files.

Taxes never been filed or paid.

Their father had never signed up for medicare or social security.

Why?

The question became WHY.

The Secret Starts to Grow

I know a family that had a secret.

Their secret had to do with money.

The dad hardly ever work and the mom was a stay at home mom.

Because their dad didn't work, one would assume that they didn't have money.

But they did.

They won't filthy rich, but well off. Nice house, clothes and the presents under the Christmas tree filled half a room.

The kids knew there was money in the family. Their Grandmother was wealthy. She lived in a huge house on waterfront property.

The kids knew their great Grandfather was RICH.

They had heard stories at family gatherings. They saw how their cousins lived. They had huge houses, private houses, fancy cars and vacation houses.

They often wondered what happened to their fancy cars and vacation homes.

Their mother knew her husband was wealthy but never knew how much money he had.

He refused to tell her.

It was a secret.

Their dad grew up with maids, gardeners and attended private schools.

But if you said he was rich, he would get upset and say no.

Money was not discussed, it was a secret.

This money secret started to surface throughout their lives.

It came up while they filled out loans for colleges.

It came up when the parents divorced.

And still it remained a secret.

But now the secret had begun to claim the kids lives.

Not long after the eldest son got married, their Grandmother passed away.

The entire family gathered for the massive, expensive funeral.

Three hours after the reception had ended, the children of the deceased gathered for the reading of the will.

The aunts, uncles and their father( no spouses or children) went into a room for what seemed like hours.

The children of the family had no idea what to except but the cousins informed them that their dad should inherit a lot of money and some of would go to them after their dad died. It was called a skip a generation will.

The aunts, uncles and father emerged, serious and quiet. When the sons asked what had happened they were told it was none of their business.

And so their father continued on with his life.

He lived as a bachelor and rented a townhouse apartment.

He would loan money to his sons occasionally to help with a down payment or car loan.

He traveled little, only to visit family and still would not discuss money with his sons.

Life for him simple and not extravagant.

Their mother, now remarried, would tell her sons that their father was rich and they should be getting money from him. She urged them to find out information on his finances. They tried a few times but no information was ever given.

Life continued on this way until they got a call from the police. Their father had had a heart attack and was dead.

Secrets

Secrets are disease infested.

The start are small and maybe even innocent but then they take on a life of their own and grow.

Secrets are like vines that begin climb and slowly wind around are lives and very existence and before we know it they are a part of our lives.

They are our life story.

They are a part of us.

Sometimes these secrets direct our lives and make decisions.

And when secrets are at there worse they influence decisions we make.

Even when we may not know what the secret is or was.

We just know that there was one.

I have secrets in my past.

I battle them daily.

Trying hard not to let them dictate my choices from today.

It's hard, it's a daily battle.

But it's worth it.

I am not willing to pay the price of those secrets anymore.