"To laugh often;
to win the admiration of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the respect of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to apprehend beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave this world a bit better
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know that even one life
has breathed easier
because you have lived
that is said to have been successful.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson