Success

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson


Our American idea of success is largely rooted in materialism. Real success is far more practical to achieve; it lies in the everyday acts and opportunities placed before us. As a stay-at-home mom, my daily act of caring for my family and teaching my kids is where my success-my eternal success-lies. At the end of life I want to look back and know that the investment I made was in people, not things or prestige, because ultimately, this is all that matters.

Have a happy and successful day!