Words to Live By

[Greynomad]

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