Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a better, more poetic summary of the things I value in his "Definition of a Successful Life"
DEFINITION OF A
SUCCESSFUL LIFE
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.
