Success
What Is Success?
Success is being friendly when another needs a friend;
It’s in the cheery words you speak, and in the coins you lend;
Success is not alone in skill and deeds of daring great;
It’s in the roses that you plant beside your garden gate.
Success is in the way you walk the paths of life each day;
It’s in the little things you do and in the things you say;
Success is in the glad hello you give your fellow man;
It’s in the laughter of your home and all the joys you plan.
Success is not in getting rich or rising high to fame;
It’s not alone in winning goals which many hope to claim;
It’s in the person you are each day, through happiness or care;
It’s in the cheery words you speak and in the smile you wear.
Success is being big of heart and clean and broad of mind;
It’s being faithful to your friends, and to the stranger, kind;
It’s in the children whom you love, and all they learn from you-
Success depends on character and everything you do. By Edgar Guest
I was chatting with another tennis player today about successes and failures in life. He and I both lost our fortunes in the real estate crash of 2008. I shared with him the concept that when a person is at the end of their life; they don’t exclaim “I wish I had spent more time at the office”. Having a nice home and car and job are great to have. However, they have little to do with happiness or true success. As the poem above declares, it is how you relate to others as perhaps the highest kind of success. How kind we are. How we show up for our family and friends. Our smile. The little things we do or say that makes the world a better place and our life a success. May we all live this kind of life and when we are at the end of our life we will say ” I am so happy that I spent less time at the office and more time being with those I love. From my ‘successful’ heart to yours, Thomas