Work ethic.

No kidding! How does one manage that!

Great answer.

Receiving some physical possessions from your parents is ok, but the ability and drive to work hard and accomplish something yourself is more satisfying.

+1

In short:
1) Education.
2) Immigrant work ethic/mentality.

My Mother died in 1990, about a month before I deployed to the 1st PG conflict.

She left me with an indelible impression of beauty, femininity, strength, character and grace.

She was the deal, my magnetic north, my compass.

I told my Sisters that all I wanted were two very personal items of hers. I got them both and my wife wears them to this day. I smile every time she wears one or both. I am lucky in life.

Luckily, my parents are still with us. However, they did just move from the home they've been living in for almost 40 years in AZ to enjoy "milder summers" in TN, and my dad gave me his set of golf clubs. As much as he used to love playing golf (hurts his back too much now), that meant something to me.

When they do pass, I really don't care if I get any of their possessions.

Unfortunately my parents were people who "devalued their kids" as my sister said. They would give something to anybody walking down the street who said something nice to them. But always seemed determined not to give the kids anything. [Example - When I was going to college (put myself through), the engine of my VW completely blew up on the way home from school one day. I called my parents & asked my dad if he could loan me $550 to get it replaced, and that I was getting a student loan in about a months & could pay him back then. After a long silence, he asked me what he was supposed to do about the interest he would loose during the time he loaned that money to me. I just told him to not worry about it & that I would borrow the money from a friend - which was another poor student who had just gotten a student loan.] My dad bought a new car 5 months before he died leaving my mother making the payments. She died with nothing about 10 years later. The 3 kids all made their own ways not expecting anything from them ever.

My parents are still alive. I suppose if they have any assets when they die that are not donated to charities, myself and other surviving siblings will get them.

That's if I outlive them. :cool:

I have a few pictures.

Marv, that's sad. I've never understood cheapness, it's a weird quality that some people have based on some fear of being fleeced or losing everything, IMO. It really has nothing to do with how rich or poor a person is.

I'm sure that you are different, though. Being generous when possible, (and practical), has its own rewards, IMO. I just loaned a buddy the $$ he needed for a security deposit on an apartment this morning. I'll get it back almost immediately but I had to check my online statement first before I said yes, wasn't sure if I had it today, (it was close). ;)

He's a true friend, he'd do the same for me, (and might get the opportunity some day). I'm honored that he considers me a close enough friend to ask. I have nothing but cool, generous people in my life and I want to be just like them. This does not mean that you're everyone's fool, loaning $$ to scumbags, BTW.

Sorry that I went off on a tangent there. :)

Alone....

Very succinct, Dave. But I'm not sure if you see that as a good thing or a bad thing.

They are both still alive(very much so), and I wouldn't want it any other way. They owe me nothing, my kids nothing, etc. They instilled great work ethic, personality, sense of humor, and compassion. They made sure we were ethical, intelligent, and we used our gifts. We run 3 businesses as a family, I couldn't imagine doing so without them. They have more fun now than ever. My wish is that they continue to do so, and live it up!

my dad's side of the family..all died of cancer.

my mom's side. high blood pressure and diabetes.

i hope they leave me nothing but my ruggedly handsome good looks :D

I never expected anything when my father died. His will left everything to his wife, 18 years his junior. She was very gracious by passing along a tidy sum to me and each of my 2 sisters saying that my dad would have wanted it that way. I'd rather have him back...

Well let's see... The guy that contributed to my being conceived left before I was two. He came back 45 years later and about a month or two before my Mom died. He is still alive and has established relationships with some of my siblings. He was unable to establish relationships with the oldest and youngest daughters (my sister and i). Mom fed us barely, clothed us barely and provided shelter but that was it.

Mom had moved into Grams house after Gramps died (20 years ago) so she did not have much to give. The sibs divided the monies and I got all of her other stuff. I am supposed to go through it and list it and then post it so people can have something of Mom's. This has not been done yet and may never be done. It's all crap.

Like earlier posts - I raised myself. I guided myself. I paid for college myself. Bought the house myself. Never asked for anything from anyone. They were too cheap to contribute. Grams is rich but lives like she's poor. She will be turning 91 in May. No clue what her will looks like and I dont really care. She does not have anything, outside of coins that I gave Gramps when he was alive, that I would want. Otherwise let everyone else fight over everything else.

Got me thinking about my dad again. His death was not entirely unexpected but fairly sudden so there wasn't a will at least that I knew about. My mom picked up everything and I by default got his acoustic guitar, an old gold watch which he got from his father and his DeRosa road bike. Mom's still alive and I fully expect her to live to at least 100.

Far more important that the physical inheritance is that I was given a man who I will forever look up to as a father. A self made man who embodied the American dream who busted his ass for his family because all he really wanted was to see his kids do better in life than he did. I was just at the age where we were becoming more than father and son but friends. He taught me so much and I miss him everyday. Taught me the value of an education and instilled in my his work ethic by making me work full time during summers for his landscaping business. Rip dad

....along with your dellusional sense of humor :D

Ontic obscuration.

Debt.