Success

To laugh often and much;
To earn the respect of intelligent people and to win the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate the beauty in nature and all that surrounds us;
To seek out and nurture the best in others;
To give the gift of yourself to others without the slightest thought of return, for it is in giving that we receive;
To have accomplished a task, whether it be saving a lost soul, healing a sick child, writing a book, or risking your life for a friend;
To have celebrated and laughed with great joy and enthusiasm and sung with exaltation;
To have hope even in times of despair, for as long as you have hope, you have life;
To love and be loved;
To be understood and to understand;
To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
This is the meaning of success.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson