Self Worth

It seems rather apparent we are raised to believe that we are to make something of ourselves. Nothing wrong in that. Each person should have some sense of self-worth, of drive and need to accomplish something in life. Unfortunately, for many this seems to emerge as a goal that, as an individual, each person has to achieve some "fantastic" goal, be successful in and of him or herself. This leaves the mark of success.

I cannot understand how we came to this incredibly worthless point of view as a society. Many men and women achieve great wealth, live and die, and are forgotten. Why? Because they failed to be successful. How did they achieve anything? Making money and gaining power did nothing for anyone but that one person and that one only lived and died.

Success is affecting others. A successful life constitutes one in which you leave behind your good influence, traits, and marks on at least one other person. That could be an offspring, a relative, a friend or a business associate. It could simply be someone you had some momentary contact with but affected in some strong manner. It is that lasting affect that counts, not the fortune you may amass.

You can be well educated, poorly educated; you may be well-bred or ill-bred; the point remains the same. Those who are remembered are always those who influenced others. They are those few teachers who inspired us, the adults who supported us as children, the guides and mentors, the individuals each of us turned to for aid, assistance and guidance in life. without them we fall, stumble and fail, and those of us who never found these priceless few did just that.

For each of us, as we look back or forward in life, the real question must always be, what did we do, not for ourselves, not what did we accomplish in life, but who did I influence, who did I change or boast in life.