The following quote sits in a frame in my office. As we get ready for the holiday season to begin, this quote is a wonderful reminder of what is truly important.
The definition of success — To laugh much; to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections 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 of one’s self; to leave the world a little 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