Letter+to+Sweden+Rough+Draft

To Whom It May Concern:

As person who enjoys working with others, I have spent much of my life in positions that allow me to be a people person. Despite the fact that I also like to spend time reading and cycling and other solitary activities, I truly have the need to balance out a life by working with others, because it makes life worth living, but also time to think and be by myself, because it gives me time to ponder about life. Someday I’d like to write about it all.

In many ways, my love of soccer, as a player and as a fan and viewer of the sport, typifies this balance in my life. Soccer players need to develop their technique individually but they must also work themselves into the ebb and flow of play with team dynamics and give and take with the ball and working towards what is going to help the team win, not just myself. I like to work on technique, just a ball and I; it’s the most immediate challenge there is. Can I do it? And yet, I also know that what I can do as an individual contributes to how sharply I can pass to a teammate down the line or redirect a pass into the net. Since, I tend to be the guy who sets up the play, rather than the guy who puts in the ball, I need to be good on my own as well as the team. As John Donne said, “No man is an island.”

Just as I am not alone, soccer is not the only thing that defines me. Music is another way I connect to others, whether it be playing DJ, playing a guitar or a bass, or just enjoying variety of music as great as the people’s of the earth. Music is the medium and empathy is the message. …

As we begin to work with each other I hope you consider what I have shared with you. It probably tells you more about me than anything I could write to you in an email. It’s not anything special but I guess that’s not what I’m about. I’d rather know myself in some way that reminds me of others. It reminds me that we are all the same in some way, even if that’s not always apparent. Whether it’s serving as the jazz band soloist or the guy who always put the ball in the net, being special is great but I’d imagine that I’d never know my balance if I concentrated too much on it.

I’ll leave you with three fun facts about myself: I once ate a cat food sandwich my sister made for me, I’ve lived in three countries and four states in the US, and one of my regrets in life is I will never play hockey. What are yours? I look forward to hearing.

Sincerely,