That person is a success who..
Bessie Anderson Stanley
(original version often attributed
to Ralph Waldo Emerson)
That person is a success who has lived well,
laughed often and loved much;
who has gained the respect of intelligent people
and the love of children;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who leaves the world better than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy,
a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
who never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty
or failed to express it;
who looked for the best in others
and gave the best that he had.