Success Is: Poem by Ashley Wilson

To laugh often and much; carefree;
To win the respect of the intellectuals in society
And the affection of children; however direct or discrete;
To earn the appreciation of an honest review
And endure the betrayal of false friends too;
To value true beauty; though it's few and far between,
To find the best in others; however hard it is to be seen,
To leave the world a better place;
Whether by a dispute solved or a newborn's face;
To have made a difference; great or minute;
To do an arduous deed; without reward or repute.
And to know that one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.