My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest. Both my children and I won what I call the ovarian lottery."----- Warren Buffett
It is hard to imagine what my life would have been like if I had been born in any other country at any other time in history. However, one thing is worth noting; it is highly unlikely that I would be sitting at my keyboard typing this message of gratitude on the eve of our countries' annual celebration of its independence from England, if I had not won the "ovarian lottery".
My father was forced to work two blue collar jobs for much of his life to support the modest lifestyle of our family, yet all three of his children were able to attain college degrees. None of us were limited by anything other than our own attitudes or work-ethics. It seems to me that too many Americans forget to acknowledge the debt of gratitude with they owe to their forefathers and even fewer fail to comprehend the enormous extent of their good fortune.
I am reminded of my good fortune every time I look into the eyes of my wife, you see she was not fortunate enough to win the "ovarian lottery". She was raised in a foreign country, born into a extremely poor family, with literally no hope of attaining a higher education. In fact, she was forced to leave her education behind after she reached only the equivalent of 5th grade to work as a household servant. To this day her aging mother still lives in the tiny country shack where my wife grew up; the shack still has no indoor plumbing.
I guess you could say my lovely wife did eventually win the lottery (certainly not because she married me); she won the lottery in the same way my ancestors did, through the miracle of immigration to this wonderful country. For decades she carried a green card but a few years ago she achieved her proudest moment, after extensive study she passed her citizenship test and became an a full-fledged American citizen.
Frequently, Americans get caught up in petty squabbles about politics or other relatively trivial matters failing to see "the forest for the trees". Too often "personal egos" or a single-minded ideologies prevent the country from coming together on serious issues which threaten the long term miracle which is the "American Dream".
The miracle which was unleashed is known as capitalism and the waves of innovation which it has set in motion. Capitalism is no long merely an American phenomena, rather it is a worldwide global force. While no such thing as "pure capitalism" exists, the basis of the concept is lifting many citizens in China and other emerging nations out of despair.
In my Wife's native country, South Korea, a surge of capitalism has enabled her brothers and sisters to become successful business people, lifting them from the clutches of poverty which had hand-cuffed their ancestors. Another miracle is taking place in South Korea as capitalism has prospered, my wife's mother is able to stay in her tiny house with no plumbing and have meals delivered to her on a daily basis, courtesy of the government. Her dream is to live out her remaining days in the house in which she has resided for most her life, is being fulfilled via capitalism.
Capitalism is fully compatible with compassion for the poor, disabled and elderly. No person should starve or otherwise needlessly suffer as a nation emerges. Few would argue that a certain amount of redistribution of wealth is not desirable, although the amount of the redistribution will always be open to heated debate. The point remains that the capitalistic system provides the best impetus for creation of wealth which in turn provides the opportunity for the poor to advance. Capitalism also supplies the wealth to take care the elderly and disabled.
I intend to spend the Fourth of July with my family, watching baseball, shooting fireworks and grilling steaks, just like most Americans. However this year I also to intend to do something a little different; I intend to spend considerably more time expressing gratitude and recognizing my personal victory in the "ovarian lottery". I am truly a lucky man to be born an American.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Fourth of July.
It is hard to imagine what my life would have been like if I had been born in any other country at any other time in history. However, one thing is worth noting; it is highly unlikely that I would be sitting at my keyboard typing this message of gratitude on the eve of our countries' annual celebration of its independence from England, if I had not won the "ovarian lottery".
My father was forced to work two blue collar jobs for much of his life to support the modest lifestyle of our family, yet all three of his children were able to attain college degrees. None of us were limited by anything other than our own attitudes or work-ethics. It seems to me that too many Americans forget to acknowledge the debt of gratitude with they owe to their forefathers and even fewer fail to comprehend the enormous extent of their good fortune.
I am reminded of my good fortune every time I look into the eyes of my wife, you see she was not fortunate enough to win the "ovarian lottery". She was raised in a foreign country, born into a extremely poor family, with literally no hope of attaining a higher education. In fact, she was forced to leave her education behind after she reached only the equivalent of 5th grade to work as a household servant. To this day her aging mother still lives in the tiny country shack where my wife grew up; the shack still has no indoor plumbing.
I guess you could say my lovely wife did eventually win the lottery (certainly not because she married me); she won the lottery in the same way my ancestors did, through the miracle of immigration to this wonderful country. For decades she carried a green card but a few years ago she achieved her proudest moment, after extensive study she passed her citizenship test and became an a full-fledged American citizen.
Frequently, Americans get caught up in petty squabbles about politics or other relatively trivial matters failing to see "the forest for the trees". Too often "personal egos" or a single-minded ideologies prevent the country from coming together on serious issues which threaten the long term miracle which is the "American Dream".
The miracle which was unleashed is known as capitalism and the waves of innovation which it has set in motion. Capitalism is no long merely an American phenomena, rather it is a worldwide global force. While no such thing as "pure capitalism" exists, the basis of the concept is lifting many citizens in China and other emerging nations out of despair.
In my Wife's native country, South Korea, a surge of capitalism has enabled her brothers and sisters to become successful business people, lifting them from the clutches of poverty which had hand-cuffed their ancestors. Another miracle is taking place in South Korea as capitalism has prospered, my wife's mother is able to stay in her tiny house with no plumbing and have meals delivered to her on a daily basis, courtesy of the government. Her dream is to live out her remaining days in the house in which she has resided for most her life, is being fulfilled via capitalism.
Capitalism is fully compatible with compassion for the poor, disabled and elderly. No person should starve or otherwise needlessly suffer as a nation emerges. Few would argue that a certain amount of redistribution of wealth is not desirable, although the amount of the redistribution will always be open to heated debate. The point remains that the capitalistic system provides the best impetus for creation of wealth which in turn provides the opportunity for the poor to advance. Capitalism also supplies the wealth to take care the elderly and disabled.
I intend to spend the Fourth of July with my family, watching baseball, shooting fireworks and grilling steaks, just like most Americans. However this year I also to intend to do something a little different; I intend to spend considerably more time expressing gratitude and recognizing my personal victory in the "ovarian lottery". I am truly a lucky man to be born an American.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Fourth of July.
