A POIGNANT DEFINITION OF SUCCESS
Ann
Landers answered her reader’s letters up to her death on June 22, which
was exactly one week before Malcolm’s. The following, one of her favorite
definitions of success was written in 1904 by Bessie Anderson Stanley.
It was printed on July 27, from her last column published, and comes
exactly 4 weeks after Malcolm passed away. It feels like it could have
been written for him:
SUCCESS:
He
has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much;
who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent
men, and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished
his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by
an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul; who has never lacked
appreciation of Earth’s beauty or failed to express it, who has always
looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose
life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction.
