A surprise letter from Buffett

Bill Murphy Jr., writing for Inc., shares his observations and opinions regarding a surprise shareholder letter from Warren Buffett that showcases his wisdom and philosophy, earning him the distinction of being someone who thinks differently from other wealthy people.

- FRANCIS J. KONG

Murphy says Warren Buffett is just unlike other billionaires, and he did not realize this until he read the letter.

At 94 years old, Buffett is still going strong and in his surprise letter, he writes:

"Father Time always wins... To date, I've been very lucky, but, before long, he will get around to me."

The combination of Buffett's enviable longevity and exceptional wealth has led to this unannounced and fascinating 1,500-word letter.

The letter largely updates Buffett's philanthropic plans. He's converting some of his Berkshire Hathaway shares, totaling about $1.1 billion and donating them to four family foundations. He also describes naming successor trustees after his children in case they are not able to give away everything before the end of their lives.

But there's a lot more worth reading, and Bill Murphy was moved by a paragraph in which Buffett talked - without using the word - about what he hopes his "legacy" will be. It comes just after he writes admiringly of his three children, who are now 71, 69 and 66 years old, and who are the first in line of defense, so to speak, in terms of his giving.

Buffett says: