the value of a lifelong best friend
- Tunji Williams
- Apr 11, 2021
- 2 min read
picture 1: Powell and me hanging out in DC during our final year of college. picture 2: Powell and me at his wedding, where I was a groomsman
a set of six beautiful photographs Powell took for me at my wedding, where he was a groomsman.
Powell has been my best friend since Ms. Boyce's (may her soul rest in perfect peace) class in 5th grade. looking back over two decades now, it's hard to remember how we even met. i'm almost certain we evolved from strangers to allies while playing full-contact soccer on our elementary school playground. but, i don't remember that exact moment when i knew i'd be able to count on Powell as my friend. i suppose it doesn't really matter.
Powell is good at everything he touches. he always has been. he's that guy. captain of the football and lacrosse teams in high school, 1st chair saxophone in the band, top of class, you get the picture. i was so not that guy. it wasn't this that drew me to Powell initially, nor does it make the list of the top 1000 things i LOVE about the guy.
what i love most about Powell (other than just the fact that he is who he is) is his unwavering humility and quiet perfectionism. i'm so not that guy either. it's a wonder we've been such close friends for so long. we started our first business together at 13, an independent record label called Stratosphere Records. we had our sights at really putting Ann Arbor on the global music scene...all from Powell's basement. we certainly weren't short on an ambition, even if on absolutely everything else.
when life is moving too fast or taking me for a ride, i look at friendships like the enduring one i'm fortunate to have with Powell as an anchoring reference point. old friendships are like old wine to me. i'm working on getting used to measuring my wealth in terms of the number of trusting and enduring relationships i have in my life. as far as those go, my bond with Powell is one of the few I cherish most.
term of the day: non-fungible tokens. these will be important to the future of decentralized premium content distribution and monetization. watch this space.
song of the day: Do Right By My Kin by Evan Haywood. i went to highschool with Evan. his 2018 LP, Perfumed Gardens, has been on active rotation this week in our house.
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