Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Success?


What does success mean to you? This is an important question.

Some people think of fame. A lot of people know who you are. Hopefully more love you than do not.

Is it education? The more you know the more successful you feel.

Power. Some long for control over people or businesses. They are the final link in the chain.

Does a lot of money mean we are successful? Some think so.

Maybe you are successful if you have a career you enjoy. It might even be what you always wanted to be.

Maybe you have a different idea of success.

A few years ago my son and I were just sitting around talking the way family members do. I mentioned that I was sorry that I had not prepared myself better to give them a better life and myself a more secure future.

My son asked me what I had wanted to be when I was younger. I searched my mind. There were those fleeting and basically childish dreams. I would be in a group like the Lennon Sisters. I would be the next Hayley Mills. I would marry Ricky Nelson (his wife would not mind). I would go to college and decide then what I would be. I would be a physical therapist. There were so many.

Needless to say I was not a Lennon Sister,,, I cannot sing. Hayley Mills was not threatened by my desire to emulate her. Alas Ricky Nelson's wife was unreasonable so I did not become Mrs. Nelson. I did not make it to college until after I married and had four children. I realized that physical therapy was not for me.

There were many other short-lived dreams. None of them were serious either.

After much thought I told my son the only thing I had always wanted to be was a mother. I do not ever remember a time that I did not want to have my own children.

Of course I knew that in order to have children I would need a husband. A husband was not my priority.

I had a sister-in-law who lived to get a husband and keep him. For me what I really wanted was a father for my children.

My son simply looked at me and said, Then you are a success." I guess I am.

12 comments:

  1. Oh, I like this! I think success is about being happy. You are successful, it seems.

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    1. Until my wise son put that question to me I had not felt successful. Now I realize that I am.

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  2. I always felt success mean fulfilling my obligations. Often not easy to do.

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    1. You are successful in fulfilling your obligations as well as those of others. I admire you.

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  3. very beautiful writing Emma!

    i am so glad you wanted what you wanted in life and i strongly believe that no matter what happens life give us sooner or later what we "truly" long for and deserve .
    I wanted a slow steady walk to better life with extremeness because then there were many possibilities to have a sudden jump to best life with everything in hand but it always dis fascinate me and i wanted to see "what i can do within my family to have better life gradually?"

    My eldest son and hubby says i am best support to their life with my simple loyal words when they need it and i just cry with joy

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  4. All in all happiness is success, and contentment too. Sometimes it takes others for us to see how truly great we are. What a wise son, and a truly wonderful mother you are. Warm greetings!

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    1. My children have the best genes. My mother was the most intelligent person I knew and my mother-in-law was the wisest. My children are both intelligent and wise.

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  5. Your won is a wise man, Emma, and that is because he had a good teacher in you, his very wise mother. You certainly fulfilled your dream and very well.

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    1. Thank you. I hope I can get my big head through the door now.

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  6. Success, to me?
    If I can better my time in my 10km, 21km and 42km running, that's my meaning of success.
    Self achievement.
    Only self achievement can drive me forward at this time of age.

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