I grew up in a small town in MA next to a farm with 100 cows. It was a town where everybody knew each other's business. As kids we knew if classmates lived in homes they owned or if they rented. We knew if they got what they wanted for Christmas or if they didn't. We knew if they could afford new shoes or if they shopped at the Salvation Army. If you had any shortcomings you became aware of them because everybody told you. I had so many I became a bit of a recluse. For example, a number of teachers told me I was the worst student they ever had. If it had been just one or two teachers it could have been they were just having a bad day. But as it was a large enough number it often caused me to take pause.
I was awkward with girls. Words never came out the way I wanted. I felt so awkward that I spent little time socializing and more time in the field with the cows and in my cellar shooting hockey pucks, contemplating all the dumb things I did every day. That turned out to be a blessing because that time in my cellar helped me develop skills which eventually helped me get into Harvard. Which I thought would show all the teachers who thought I was dumb. But all it really did was convince them that Ivy League standards were much lower than they had ever imagined. I kind of thought that too.
In college everything changed for me. I was amazed at how successful everyone was. I no longer felt in the spot light and was able to meet a huge group of people who have become life long friends. In college we did everything possible to turn that little liberal arts college into the biggest party school in the country. In that regard we were pretty successful. Amazingly we all managed to get through school and even have respectable careers. Career wise it is an eclectic group; big time ceo's, hedge fund icon's, navy seals, fire chiefs, at least one bus driver and a librarian (our Summa, believe it or not, and probably the happiest of us all. That guy just loves libraries). When we get together nobody talks about what they do, nobody judges and nobody's britches are too big. We laugh.
Me? I became a boring accountant, then an investment banker and a private equity investor. Currently I am serving as the head of one of the companies in which we recently invested. I am living with my son and daughter. They are older, not kids, and working in the business which I hope keeps them out of trouble. Which may be a lot to ask because, unfortunately, they inherited a large percentage of my genetic helix.
Who am I looking for? Someone that likes me.
If we do meet, and I hope we do, you will find I am a good listener. I will want to know who you are, the size of your heart, the depth of your convictions,the reasons for your belief systems, your nature, and your spirit. I will be listening to more than just your words.
