A Story of Friendship: How I Got to the Super Bowl

Yes, that's me, alongside my good friend Jeff Slovin, the CEO of Sirona Dental Systems, at last Sunday's Super Bowl game.

How I— someone who had never attended a football game in his life—got to be there for the game of the year (some would say the game of a lifetime) is a bit of a story. It's a story about true friendship.

I first met Jeff many years ago when he was new to the dental industry and we hit it off immediately. What started as a good professional relationship quickly grew into a lasting personal friendship as we started to get together from time to time even when business didn't require it.

The Formula to a True Friendship

Have you ever had the kind of friend where it doesn't matter how long it has been since you last saw them, when you get together you instantly re-connect and feel comfortable with each other? Jeff and I have that kind of friendship. He is not a daily presence in my life, but whenever I see him we just seem to pick up where we left off. To me, that is a characteristic of a strong, pure friendship.

Another characteristic of a good friend, of course, is knowing what to say and do during the tough times in life. Last month, Jeff and I had planned to get together and hang out for awhile in the new year. Then my father passed away and those plans had to be shelved as I took off to Vancouver to attend to matters there.

Naturally, that was a pretty emotional time for me, and I have found myself spending a lot of time since then in quiet reflection. I think that's a good thing, but it is also true that there a comes a time in the mourning process when you feel like what you need most of all is an energy boost, to take your mind off deeper matters and just have some fun again.

Jeff must have known this, because he ended up making an incredible gesture of friendship. He had promised his young nephew that he would take him to a Super Bowl game before the boy's 15^th birthday. This year he came through on that promise, buying tickets for himself, his nephew, his brother... and his friend Imtiaz, who he knew could use an exciting day out.

And let me tell you, it was exciting. I have been to many hockey and basketball games, but none of those events could have prepared me for this experience. The size of the crowd, the intensity of the fans of both teams, the sense of high stakes, and just the sheer spectacle of the event was electrifying. Even as someone who doesn't follow football, I found myself captivated by it all, right down to those last thrilling moments.

For several hours last Sunday I was able to put aside everything else in life and just feel spectacularly alive and in the moment. It was a perfect day.

Thanks, buddy. I owe you one.


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