| Generated by Google Flow text-to-video AI software, powered by Veo 3 |
I am no stranger to charity. I have always been on this side of it. I was born
into a wealthy family of business moguls. I can’t tell you exactly what our
family does, because we have our hands in a lot of different cookie jars. My
ancestors liked to invest in ideas, and they were very good at telling the
difference between the great ones and the stinkers. Most people in my family
have kept the tradition alive, and invest in whatever they think will be the
most profitable. They are not saints, but I wouldn’t call them evil either. We
didn’t make our money on great instincts alone. Research is the name of the
game, and we pride ourselves in supporting ethical and sustainable companies
over get-rich-quick schemes that some of our contemporaries are involved in.
You’ll notice, I sometimes separate myself from my family, and sometimes lump
myself in with them. The truth is that I’ve never been that interested in this
kind of work. It’s oh so boring. I like that we do research, but I don’t like
to do it myself, so to maintain the integrity of our practices, I have simply
chosen to opt out. I’m lucky to have parents who allowed me to do this, and
did not insist on me following in their footsteps. They actually had a lot of
children for this reason. It might sound so calculated, but really, they were
just practical. Instead of having one kid, and hoping they turned out exactly
how they dreamed, they played the odds. They knew that the chances of one of
us being like them went up the more they had. It ended up only being four, so
don’t think they went crazy, or anything, and lucky them, three of them are
all in. It’s really only I who chose a different path. I’m not entirely
removed. I’m entitled to a trust fund, just as my siblings are, which I use to
support my philanthropic endeavors. And you know what? My siblings do the
same, but in their own way. They don’t wanna have to judge people, and
determine what kind of charity they deserve, or how much, so they just give
me the money, and I donate accordingly on their behalf. It’s a truly
symbiotic relationship. I’m still quite a bit different than them. I open my
own car doors, which my chauffeur keeps forgetting, and I raised my own kids
with no help beyond my husband, and a few babysitters here and there. A few
years ago, I was diagnosed with a condition called Idiopathic Pulmonary
Fibrosis. That first word means that they don’t know what caused it. So it’s
no one’s fault. I have had it all this time while the Foundation was running,
but I hesitated to apply for a healing. I’ve never called myself old, but I’m
no spring chicken either. I honestly could have died at any time while I
pursued typical treatment. I just didn’t want to butt in. So many other people
needed help, and I didn’t want to take anyone’s slot. I admire Landis for
developing a fair system that didn’t prioritize people like me, but it still
felt so icky. Then something changed. I had grandchildren. Two twin girls. I
decided that I wasn’t just fighting for my life, but for the time I could
spend with them. So I applied, and got my healing. I don’t know how long I
would have survived without it, but...not long. I was likely weeks away from
expiring. Did you know, because of all of my charitable donations, they wanted
to classify me as a no-pay? I wouldn’t have it. It goes against my entire
being. I insisted they recategorize me for pay-up, so I could contribute my
fair share. I didn’t give them all my money, since I need to leave some for my
family when I finally do die, but I think I helped keep the lights on for a
few more days. It’s the least I could do.
