All our lives we have been told that we must work toward something. Whether it be good grades, a career, our goal has always been to make it happen and growing up, we have been groomed to chase the dream. Let's be honest! Nobody's mother ever told them, "Honey I want you to waste away your life watching the grass grow."

I grew up with wanting success just as much as the next person only I thought I knew what the word success meant. I realize now that I had not the slightest clue what success meant.

We have all defined success by the jobs we hold, the money we make, most importantly the things we own have defined us at some point in our lives. I am still chasing the dream but in a different way.

SUCCESS to me is not what I make - it is what I leave behind.

I want to stand for something and make a difference where it counts. I realize that personal growth is not ABOUT ME.

I am a wife and a mother and I realize that I grow everyday in the smallest way. I watch my child, this extraordinary miracle that I was blessed with, and clarity comes to me like a slap in the face. I no longer mope around the house thinking I am useless to the world because I am not at work making money. I am doing what every mom wishes she could - being an active participant in my daughter's life! I walked into this situation blindly but I am not blind to it. I remind myself that I am blessed everyday. THIS IS SUCCESS TO ME.

I look at my husband, when he does not know I am watching, and it amazes me how much in love with him I am. Never has a day gone by that I have not learned something from him. I know that I have found my soul mate and I will never be alone again! THIS IS SUCCESS TO ME.

Success is doing what you love the most. Success IS personal growth. Success is the knowledge that YOU are NOT alone in the world. It is a loving family and friends. Success is health - to be able to do the simple things in life like BE HAPPY, TAKE A WALK, BREATHE…

I know that I am not done learning to be successful. As I grow, my definition of success will grow with me and it is within my power to DEFINE success. SUCCESS is in my knowledge that I DONT HAVE TO FOLLOW ANYONE ELSE'S PATH.

Life is my lesson and I am it's humble student.

Written in 2006 by S. Jurczak
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