What is Success??

As I embark on my new journey in life, I have always envisioned myself as a successful person. A proud African American woman on the way to making an impact in her community. While searching the Internet, I came across a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson "What is Success". When my journey gets to tough I will look back and remember the words of Ralph Emerson definition of success

What is Success by Ralph Waldo Emerson
To laugh often and love much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the approval 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 bit 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.