If you had one more day

If you had one more day with a friend, how would you spend it? Go on a road trip? Stop in at the local coffee shop and catch-up on the latest news? Go to a game or shopping together?

Business Icon and Berkshire Hathaway Chairman & CEO Warren Buffet knows what he would do.

At the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting in May, a young boy asked Buffet, 93, what he would do if he had one more day with his long-time friend and work partner, Charlie Munger who died last November at the age of 99.

Buffet told the audience that the two friends, who knew each for 60 years, “had as much fun, perhaps even more to some extent with things that failed because then we really had to work and work our way out of them. In a sense, there is more fun in having your partner and digging your way out of a foxhole.”

Buffett and Munger’s friendship went back to when the two men were both young men living in Omaha, Nebraska. At Berkshire Hathaway, Munger served as vice president and Buffet’s right-hand man.

I missed the interview when it first came out, but I stumbled across it recently and Buffet’s final words of advice made me think: “Ask yourself who you’d want to spend the last day of your life with and then figure out how you could meet them tomorrow and then meet with them as often as you can.”

My wife and family obviously come to mind. As far as work friends, I can think of a friend or two, but now comes the hard part, how to make that happen. Good luck with that.

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39 thoughts on “If you had one more day”

  1. What a powerful question and a thoughtful response by Buffet, who’s one of the wealthy people that I admire based on what I read about his words and actions.

    No question for me, it would be with my family too just relaxing and hearing and seeing each other smile and laugh together.

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  3. It’s funny to read this this morning as a long-time friend, Kathleen, came over yesterday afternoon. We’ve known each other since Grade 2 and have remained friends, though we can go years without seeing each other. She lives on the other side of the country so basically, I can see her when she comes to visit her parents. Just hanging out in my backyard, sipping on refreshments and noshing on sandwiches later was the best way to catch up.

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  5. They say we have to live our lives every day as if it was our last day, it’s not exactly how it works. Yet friendship is important and friends are the ones making it sweet.
    Essentially we are all born to find the way out of the foxhole, it’s much easier if you have partners to help you out. It’s a good metaphor, cause we are all in trouble, call it debt, loneliness, or lack of purpose. This is why we want to build each other up

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  7. Thanks for sharing, Brian. I missed this too. loved this ” there is more fun in having your partner and digging your way out of a foxhole.” Tell me where you’re going to die, so I won’t go there”. He def had something good going on to live till 99.
    💗

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  9. Warren’s a good guy. I love his advice! I’d probably choose family too, assuming I couldn’t conjure my previous cat back from the dead.

    (I’ve read/seen Pet Semetary. I know this is a terrible idea.)

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      1. My wife’s father passed away two days ago…she spent his last three days with him…excruciating to lose someone – one reason your post resonated with me.

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  12. Oh man, this is so powerful Brian. Makes me consider with who and how I want to spend the time I have left. It’s interesting how he recognized that having a common goal, something you need to overcome or accomplish is a great way to engage with the people you love. I have to think about that. Thanks for sharing this with us. Hugs, C

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  14. This is profound advice, Brian. Buffet makes you think, doesn’t he? I really respect people who have lived well into their nineties. Imagine what they’ve endured and learned, and the stories they could tell. My dad and father-in-law were two of them. My family comes to mind first, then I’ll have to think a bit deeper. Thanks for sharing!

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