A letter to your family, for afterwards

A letter to "the family" touches everyone and no one in particular. Best practice: write one letter per loved one — but a family letter has its place too, for saying what concerns everyone and holding bonds together when you are no longer there to do it.

What to put in the family letter

Your story, in a few paragraphs. Where you come from, what shaped you, what you are proud of. Your loved ones know pieces; give them the full picture.

Your values. What mattered to you, what you hope to pass on. Said simply, without preaching.

Your collective gratitude. Thank the family as such — for the holidays, the support, the bonds. Name moments, not just feelings.

Your wishes for what's next. Stay close, look after so-and-so, don't fight over this: say it now, while your voice still carries.

One tip: personalize when it matters

Gleam requires one recipient per message — and it's a good constraint: a letter addressed to one person always lands harder than a generic message. Write the family letter for what is shared, then a personal letter to those who matter most (see our guides: letter to your daughter, your son, your wife, your husband).

How delivery is guaranteed

1. Logging in once every 30 days is enough to confirm you are there.
2. Reminders are sent at days 30, 37, and 44. At day 51, a trusted contact, if you have one, is asked to confirm or deny your death. A confirmation starts a 24-hour window in which you can still log in to cancel release; if there is no trusted contact, release can proceed at day 51.
3. Each one receives their own single-use access code, sent separately.