The inheritance to the ground

During a family gathering, my sister came up with this maxim: "Inheritance is the worst investment one can make in life." The rest of the siblings didn't know how to make her stop, so we started telling jokes to entertain our parents and discussing any nonsense to change the subject.

I remembered that idea from the French socialists, suggesting that no citizen should receive an inheritance, ensuring that everyone starts their lives on equal footing. The idea didn't prosper, and little or nothing is said about it now. Still, inheriting in France is a headache since the state takes almost half, forcing citizens to go through a thousand legal maneuvers to plan their deaths.

Now I'm starting to believe she's right; when a person dies, their sorrows and joys die with them. Leaving bank accounts, apartments, and land behind only serves to stir up unstable sibling relationships. Perhaps true inheritance lies in anecdotes, phrases, smiles, and values.

"Although leaving some money is never a bad idea," my sister said before saying goodbye.