A Reflection

To laugh often and much;


to win the respect of the 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 that one life has breathed easier 


because you lived here.


This is to have succeeded. 

—Ralph Waldo Emerson—