[Taking a much needed break from political news….]
Nearly twenty-two years ago, my new wife, as a mental health therapist (an intern at the time) for children, successfully counseled a young teen away from committing suicide. I remember the conversation, because I worked in the finance department of Intel Corporation in Silicon Valley at the time. On that very same day, I had finally figured out how to integrate various internal data streams to automatically compile in an Excel spreadsheet. I was feeling quite proud. But once she told me of her success earlier that day, a success that literally saved a life, I felt small and inconsequential. If something happened to me, Intel would have continued. I needed more from my career than being able to reconcile a spreadsheet for a living. This began a five year exploration of what I want to do when I grow up.
I switched careers at the age of 35. I became a Financial Advisor for Morgan Stanley. This career combined two passions of mine: an interest in finance and investments as well as the ability to materially help people in their lives. The professional relationship between a financial advisor and his/her client is quite intimate. People tell you more about their lives, relationships, health, dreams, fears, etc, than nearly anybody else on the planet that doesn’t also share their last name. And if you do your job right, it is also intrinsically rewarding. You can see the good you do for others and it often warms your heart.
Today I had in my office an 83 year old woman and her 85 year old husband. They have been my clients for at least 12 years but I had distantly known them for more than twice that through our affiliation with our synagogue. About a week ago, they asked for an appointment but wouldn’t say why. We recently had an account review, so that couldn’t be it. So instead of preparing for the meeting, I merely invited them into my office and asked, “What brings you in today?”