success.

Success.  (often attributed to Elisabeth-Anne Anderson Stanley)

To laugh often and love much
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children

To earn the appreciation of honest critics
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.

I’ve been dealing a lot lately with whether or not I am being successful. I worry that I’m not doing enough, not making big enough waves. I worry that I’m slacking or that I’m spending too much time on all the wrong things. Then, I come across this quote. In the midst of this holiday season, when I am wearing thin as the year draws to a rapid close, I am left pondering whether or not what I did mattered in 2011. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype, to lose focus, to think big and fall short. In 2011 I made a lot of big promises, many that I left unfulfilled. In 2012 I vow to make small goals, ones that can actually be accomplished. I want to focus on the little things, the things that will really determine whether or not 2012 is a success or a big waste of time. Here’s to a year of the small…

 

 

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