Is it ok if I love you too, Taiji?

I do anyway.

When Sensei and Patty went on their vacation Taiji and I got along fine. In fact, Taiji went on an energy conservation kick during August--insisting on shutting off the air conditioning, opening windows, as time of day allowed-- an dour electric bill dropped by a hundred dollars that month.

When eternity comes and I am asked what to place in balance against the time and energy that I wasted in this life, I will say that I loved a lot of people. I will point to Taiji, and I will point to Phil, and I suspect that God with understand.

Sometimes though, it has been hard to explain to my parents.

I guess it's your reaction to my change of insurance beneficiary that prompts this letter. Whether you intended it or not, I got the impression that naming Taiji as my beneficiary and ward struck you as a breech of my responsibilities to you. I got the impression that when you said you "really don't need the money," I offended you. But if it is not simple truth, I need to know so I can change the plan accordingly.

Now you know that you aren't in the habit of talking about your financial situation. You alternate between giving the impression that you are very proud of having made your own way, and being defensive that you have not done better. You have not encouraged openness about this kind of thing by example though you've never been dishonest--just silent. So my impression of your finances comes from bits and pieces. I may be wrong.

Bluntly, I figure that the net value Dad's estate and pensions is sufficient to provide a guaranteed income sufficient to provide a guaranteed income of at least $30 thousand a year. If Dad has been as conservative about medical insurance as I have been led to believe, you are as well protected against medical disaster as possible. My assets are nothing to any catastrophe that can get through yours. So as I want you to live long and comfortably, I think you can. And, yes, I feel an obligation to keep you from need, but I don't see how my estate planning affects your security.

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