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 that even one life has breathed Better because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson