William Penn Life, 2017 (52. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2017-05-01 / 5. szám
Aging Well with Cathy Graham Balancing past & present BY ALL ACCOUNTS, I have been spending too much time looking in the rear view mirror. My thoughts eagerly jump backwards, plucking memories of a rich childhood and simpler time when the definitions of deadlines, schedules and responsibilities meant nothing. At 55,1 am in no rush to be a full-fledged adult. I am best at home, in my 10-year-old self, running, jumping and biking in bare feet, my face in the sun, paying little mind to sunscreen and future wrinkles. I find myself chatting more about yesterdays than tomorrows, pretending not to notice the glazed-over faces waiting for the end of my sentences. I have become that person. I have two reflections in the mirror, and they compete for my attention. Sometimes, I see the same ol' me sporting a big smile with blue eyes that never stop dancing. Then, there is the other face I vaguely know, the one that startles me. It announces lines and wrinkles, eyes that used to twinkle and eyebrows that seem to have slid off of my face. I don't mind aging because it is better than dying. Living, however, has become somewhat of a mystery. I want to hold on to my memories, so tightly in fact, that they take up more space than the present. Kicking the dirt and brushing my chin, I stop myself because I know better. I teach people how to be mindful and live in the now. I coach lifestyle enrichment, acceptance and engagement. I am all about being your own hero, creating your destiny and walking the walk. I am keenly aware of my checked-out status. I look at it like it is someone else's problem. My perceptions of life's events have benched me. Alas, it is not what I want. I want to find comfort and reassurance. I want to connect to my fire again, so I will. That is all it takes, a simple agreement to change, to begin again and create new possibilities. At night, I hold the pillow feeling excited and hopeful knowing tomorrow and all the tomorrows that come after are mine for the taking. Cathy Graham is director of the Graceful Aging Wellness Center at Bethlen Communities in Ligonier, Pa. Moneywise car or down payment on their first home. It's also possible that the newborn might keep that certificate and use it to help fund their retirement 60, 70 or 80 years in the future. As long as they keep the certificate, they have complete control of when and how they access the values. • You can sell your certificate back for its full cash surrender value. Sometimes, for whatever reason, someone decides that they no longer need the coverage and decides to sell the certificate back to the insurance company for its full cash surrender value. There are no questions asked or waiting period. When someone cancels their policy, they only need to fill out a form and wait for the check to arrive in the mail. "So," you may be asking, "do I need permanent or term insurance?" What we have discussed up to this point has been whole life, or permanent, insurance. It's called permanent insurance because the intention is to hold the policy until death. There is also a temporary type of coverage known as term insurance. It should be viewed as temporary because it is intended to serve a purpose for a limited number of years, usually one to 30 years. Although less expensive in the beginning, term insurance is not intended to be held permanently. In fact, more that 97% of all term policies never pay a death benefit. On the other hand, over 90% of all whole life (or permanent) policies do pay a death benefit. Furthermore, term insurance does not accrue cash value. Think of it as a lease: at the end of the lease, the benefits expire. Conversely, you can think of permanent insurance as buying a home: it generally costs more than a lease, but you're building equity with each payment. As you can see, there is so much more to life insurance than just a death benefit. Maybe the next time someone brings up the topic of life insurance, your response can be a bit more positive and engaging. Still confused about all the financial options available to you and your family? Term, whole life or annuity? Which way should you turn? Call your William Penn Association agent today and have all of your questions answered. Don't have an agent? Call the Home Office, and we'll be happy to help you or direct you to an agent in your area. □ WILLIAM PENN LIFE ° May 2017 ° 7 C Can Stock Photo Inc./Hay wireMedia
