To Succeed in Life.

“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. 

Then, you have succeeded in life.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson.



Vanity Upon Vanity.

While in surgery following a heart attack, a middle-aged woman sees a vision of God by her bedside.
   " Will I die?" she asks.
God answers, saying, "No. You have 30 years to live."
  With 30 more years to look forward to, the woman decides to make the best of it. So while in the hospital, she gets breast implants, liposuction, a tummy tuck, hair transplants and collagen injected into her lips. She looks great...different from what she used to be.
  On the day she gets discharged, she exists the hospital with a swagger. But as she crosses the street, a rushing ambulance hits her and she dies on the spot.
   Up in heaven, the woman sees God and is livid.
"You said I had 30 more years to live!"
   "That's true," says God.
"Well, so what happened that I'm here so soon?" she asks.
God shrugs his shoulders and says, "Guess what? I didn't recognize you..."

(Culled from the Readers Digest).