For Fabienne and Laurent, thinking about their estate is not gloomy. On the contrary, it is a luminous way of carrying their convictions forward and passing on what matters to them.
Married without children, they have decided to leave a legacy to Karuna-Shechen, in keeping with their attachment to India and the values that have guided them throughout their lives. In this testimonial, Fabienne shares what led them to make this choice, their meeting with the Karuna-Shechen team, and the sense of peace they both found in the process.
Choosing to take care of our estate while we are still young and in good health has brought us a sense of peace.
Fabienne & Laurent
Throughout my professional, family and personal life, I have witnessed the passingof many people who had never made plans, spoken about, or given any instructions regarding what would happen after their earthly life. I have always found this deeply surprising.
For me, addressing the question of one’s own death is an affirmation of life, of emotional well-being, and of consideration for those around me.
It was in this spirit that I began to reflect on the question. To me, the radiance of a human life extends far beyond the number of days we live. There is nothing morbid about considering how that life might continue; quite the opposite, it is a way of giving it meaning. I am responsible for my choices until the end of my life, and I have confidence in the possibility of a future made possible through the commitment of others: I feel connected.
As a healthcare professional, I know both the beauty and fragility of life, and the energy it takes to give and communicate in order to support recovery, restore hope, and help people envisage a comfortable future. Passing things on has always been at the heart of my life, in many different forms.
As a child, I always surrounded myself with people older than me. I sought out these elders, listened attentively to their stories, and was fascinated by their experience. Later, my encounter with India continued to nurture this passion for unexpected paths, possibilities beyond the ordinary, the workings of the unseen, and the power of giving freely.
Married and having nochildren, Karuna-Shechen seemed to us like a meaningful way of passing something on, in keeping with all our values and with the journey we have taken through life, in which India continues to shine with all its light.
One day, I turned 60, an age that is very symbolic in India, marking the threshold of preparing for what comes after this earthly life. It was also the age at which my father died within a matter of minutes, leaving me in a violent silence, deprived of guidance and affection.
So it was with great determination and joy that I knocked on Karuna-Shechen’s door on my birthday. Behind that door awaited the magic of the unknown — perfectly clear-sighted and organised!
Quentin [Executive Director] and Éloïse [Philanthropy Relations Officer] welcomed us with their smiles, their quiet attentiveness and their grounded kindness. After admiring photographs of the regions where Karuna-Shechen works, and having taken off our shoes, we settled into a small sitting room over a cup of tea, just as we might have done in India.
Everything felt remarkably simple. I remember the softness of their voices, the slowness of their gestures, the uprightness of our hosts, their transparent gazes, and the emotion of the moment.
Of course, we discussed our wishes, asked our technical questions, listened to the answers and understood the necessary steps. Yet something much more subtle took shape in that moment: the certainty that we had met two companions for the journey, within an entire team guided by the deeply spiritual presence of Matthieu Ricard, whose path and writings we have followed for many years.
His clear-sightedness, his altruism in action, the clarity of his teachings, the coherence with which he embodies them, and his wonderful sense of humour delighted us when we had the great opportunity to meet him, together with other members of the organisation’s leadership.
We felt free and mentally liberated, completely at home, within an open, receptive and effective human family.
Choosing to take care of our estate while we are still young and in good health has brought us a sense of peace — the feeling of being in harmony because we are able to place our full trust in solid and experienced companions, guided by their hearts and committed to building a gentler world.
I remember telling Quentin at the end of our first meeting, “It was time,” and his heartfelt reply: “I’m glad.”
