A reply to an e-mail

Re: Yahoo! News Story - Warren Buffett's son preaches values as wealth - Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100510/lf_nm_life/us_books_buffett

Hi Pa,

Not too sure if you remember this but you made a comment that is still dear to my heart. You said ' This is not yours, it's mine. You need to get your own'. You were making a comment about the passing on of the clinic and the other properties.

I think you made this comment when I was 14 or 15, which change my mind set that I cannot hope and wait for something to be given. I need to go out and get it.

I think that you did treat me as Warren Buffett did to his son. That you didn't give me everything and you've taught me that there are people that are more in need. I learn this especially through your work as a doctor and in the community (Church and Lions Club).

With that in mind, I actually took it a bit further. I took it upon myself that when I help you manage the farms, I would want to know how the workers actually feel and what they are doing. So I always helped out with loading and unloading fruits, and do what the workers did. I did learn a lot from that.

I’m also thankful that, even from a very young age that you’ve let me choose my own path. I still remember, when I was 12, deciding which secondary school to go to, you and mum ask me to make my own decision. I’ve talk to a lot of my friend and so far none that I’ve met ever have that decision to make when they were that young. I am really grateful that you treat me with such maturity even at such a young age.

Choosing the course of my life, with the degree that I wanted to take, again, thank you and mum for letting me pursue my dream. Thank mum as well, for pushing me out of my comfort zone and putting me 10 hours south of Sabah, which it turns out to be the best thing I could ever have to pursue my dreams. I know of a lot of my friends who are in university studying a degree which they took because of their parents. I case that I know of, she graduated with a Engineering degree and went back to study Art (major in Japanese) because that was where her original passion was.

Again Pa, I want to thank you and mum for teaching me and moulding me to the man I am today.

With Love,
Your Son.