This is to Have Succeeded
27-Apr-04
A colleague of mine has the following quote in his classroom. I enjoy reading it everyday.
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
It turns out that the above is an edited version. The complete quote reads:
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.
This is to have succeeded.
It seems this quote may be incorrectly attributed to Emerson, and could very well be a poem written by someone else. You can read more about this at Transendentalists.com.
Whoever the author, and despite the fact that I prefer the edited version, I find the the quote to be a little piece of inspiration in a world saddly losing touch with that sensation, and every little bit helps.