Defining Our Values

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has 

gained 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.  ~Bessie Stanley

When I look at my life and reflect on all that I have, when I plan ahead for what's to come 

and dream about the future, I find myself redefining my own personal definition of 

success.  Before I met Shawn, when I was young and just setting out on my own, success 

was learning new things, traveling and making my way.  After we were married and set off 

on this journey through life together, success was finding our first apartment, 

putting ourselves through college and creating our own little world.  And then came the 

babies and all their heart stopping love.  Success suddenly grew into something much 

bigger than ourselves, we learned to live each day with these girls in  mind.  We became 

more mindful of our actions and lived with intention and purpose, measuring success by 

the example we are setting for our children.

As we grow as people, become older and wiser and more experienced in the ways of 

the world, the definition of success will and should continue to evolve.  We are striving to 

live a life of peace, with immeasurable amounts of love, spreading kindness and compassion.  

Our definition of success is now reflected in our actions and how we are teaching our girls

 to live.  I want my girls to be whatever their imaginations dream up for them, I want them 

to run after what they want with reckless abandon.  I want them to know that success 

and happiness do not lie in material things or social statuses.  Success and happiness lie in
the hearts of those with integrity, those who build an honorable life, those who are not 
afraid to bare their souls and share their love and light with those around them.


  At this point in my life, my definition of success is a home cooked meal at the end of a 
long work day.  It's the look on my patients' faces when I walk into their homes.  Success 
is learning to admit your wrongs and having the humility to make them right.  It's taking 
a chance on something new and seizing opportunities brought before you.  Success is 
learning to be content and present in the moment, it's being satisfied with simplicity.  For 
me, for now, it's recognizing the everyday blessings and rejoicing in them wholeheartedly. 

At the end of the day, I want our girls to know that success is as simple as a hard day's 

work and the reward of homemade popsicles at the end.  Success is binding yourself to 

your family and speaking kind words to each other each and every day.  It is the measure 

of a life built on love.