Thursday, October 09, 2008

Thursday thought: What is success?

What is 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

Been re-reminded of this by this Blog Pound conversation. It's one of those poems that I've handwritten and carry with me, reminding myself that it's all about attitude.

If you haven't read this before, I hope you enjoy.

8 comments:

  1. beautiful! love emerson and his crowd!

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  2. I had heard most of that before ... in snippets!

    Never realised it was all part of the one poem.

    Thanks Darragh.

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  3. To win the respect of intelligent people

    indeed.

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  4. Enjoyed reading your blog, nice work!

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  5. All I want from kids is solitude and the sound of scielence.

    Nice post.

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  6. beautiful......it's almost zen like.......

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  7. ...the legend lives on!

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