My dear,
You asked of me how one knows they have succeeded.
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 to 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 easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
Falsely yours,
Ralph Waldo Emerson
