The Gift of Warren E Buffet
Will always be grateful for the gift of Warren E. Buffett. Always.
I read Buffett: The Making of An American Capitalist by Roger Lowenstein. It was a book written in 1995.
In it, you can see Buffett's scepticism about his children's capacity to handle money. He was so strict, I was like, "My God, I will never be a father like that". Buffett had said he would not leave any inheritance for his children, and that he would donate all his money before his death. He never gave his kids any money for anything. His wife, Susie, had to use her money to cover up for some of his "stinginess".
Then, I read another book, "The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business" by Alice Schroeder. It was written in 2008. Buffett's wife had died, and Buffett was becoming a changed man. His donations to his family had changed. Susie had convinced him that they should give each of their children $1 million on each of their birthdays. Thats what he has been doing for the last 2 decades now.
I've just finished reading his latest newsletter.
Buffett has decided his children will handle his philanthropic decision after his death.
He has come full circle.
As I read through, I see how Buffett has changed and how his family has also changed. They've all matured!
Another thing I noticed in the newsletter is how Buffett spoke about death. Buffett used to be scared of death. He doesn't talk about it. He hates to talk about it. But in this newsletter, he spoke like Charlie Munger, the smart man who was always joking about death. Maybe it is age, maybe it is experience, but whatever it is, it is a great thing to face death with defiance.
Other aspects of the newsletter also highlight Buffett's gratitude for many things. It is a wholesome newsletter.
Will always be grateful for the gift of Warren E. Buffett. Always.