To laugh often and love much;
To win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give ones self;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived –
This is to have succeeded.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
This particular quote means so much to me and has helped me through many rough times. I hope it can bring something special to you, too.
I read of a man who stood,
to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on his tombstone,
from beginning to end. (more…)
