I Just watched the documentary on HBO "Becoming Warren Buffett". I knew only a little about Warren Buffet, just that he had a lot of money and gave it away to good causes. I thought I won't be interested in this, because I assumed it would be a show about how someone became a who loves math and numbers became a rich businessman. To my surprise, I was so moved at the end of the film when I saw how much love was around him, how open he was to ideas, and how he was inspired by the philanthropic ethic of his wife. I was also impressed at his awareness that, although he worked hard to get where he was, he would not have been as successful without what I like to call his white, heterosexual, Christian, male privilege. But that did not stop him from giving large amounts of money to everyone from LGBT, to the homeless, to education and so much more. It brought me to tears looking at that list.
I did not come from a family who gave to charity, or which even thought much about helping other people. My mom's family was poor and always in fear they would not be able to get by. My dad survived the Holocaust and was focused only on working so we did not have to worry where our next meal came from. "Save what you have for a rainy day," my dad always taught us. Or he would say when I asked him to give money to a group I thought was of need, "My charity is you three kids." That was the mentality I grew up with. But as I got older, I started to believe that giving back was to become a big part of my life. And that as a human on this planet was the right thing to do.
After seeing this documentary, I am inspired to give back even more than ever. I don't have money to donate like Mr. Buffet does, but I have time to spare and a real desire to mentor and support people. I have already been doing a lot of that, and I plan to continue. Especially now, when there is so much division in this country.
Watch the film if you can and when you're feeling down and out as I do sometimes, give back in your own way. Even its just one person... it matters.
Thank you, Warren!