An Essay: Definition of Success

I would really like to hear your definition of success. I'd really like to know what your thoughts are whenever you hear the word 'success'. Here is my definition of success:

There are many definitions of success in this world. Most of them have the basis for being selfish. 'Success is how much stuff I can get and how much fun I can have in life'. 'Success is getting the job I want, the family I want and the life I want'. 'Success is how much happiness I can get from the things that I buy and the people that I have as my friends and the different things I'm involved in'. I'd say the basis for these definitions also has to do with what will make us feel content and satisfied with life. I'm afraid that my definition of success is quite different from these possible definitions, however.

How would you feel if you had all the latest toys, games, clothes, cars, electronics (ie. ipod nano, DVD system, cell phone, palm schedule thingamajiggers) and food and had money to spare for expensive vacations? You've traveled everywhere and seen everything and have all the material possessions that you could ever want. You are one cool person. After all that, may I ask, what's left? You've succeeded in getting rich, you've succeeded in getting all you might want. Would you be happy? My answer for that is 'no, not really'. All this latest stuff would start to get boring.

It's like Christmas--you get a lot of cool stuff and you use it all the time. Days and even weeks later you still use all this cool stuff, but it doesn't have the same excitement attached to it. And then one day you find that you don't really want to use it--you just lug it around cuz everyone else has this kinda stuff, it's the fad to have one, and if you don't have this kinda stuff you really aren't that cool.

But then a new and better type of your stuff comes out and you notice that everyone else seems to have that and you don't. 'Oh, my friends have such a cool car now--my 'brand' of car is so dumb cuz all it can do is this...while my friends car can do this...'

There's always going to be something newer and better out there. So do you think you'll ever feel satisfied with the 'success' money has bought you? How can you succeed in getting happy and 'un-bored' for life?

You know, there is one thing in this world that is free that you don't have to spend long, worrisome hours at work for so that you can have it. (By the way, if your goal is to become so that you can get the latest stuff--don't bother, all you'll want next is the new and better type and you'll be plagued with jealousy and greed and never feeling satisfied.)

I always feel the greatest and happiest when I do something for someone else. Big or little, I know that what I've done is right, clean and good. Being nice to people, a lot of the time, though, is really, really hard. It's impossible to be nice every second of everyday. And you know, that's where you'll feel the happiest--making other's lives better and cleaner and safer. That's what God wants us to do, what He'll help us to do. He gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can do the 'impossible' things that He wants for us to do.

We are successful, I believe, when we do the things that our Creator put us on earth for. Only then can we find true happiness and the feeling of content and 'success'. If my job in life was to put batteries in watches, yet I didn't do it, the watches, obviously, wouldn't work and no one would be on time. Things would get a little messed up and disorganized. If we don't do what God wants us to do in life, just think what a mess the world would become! If no one loved what was true, pure, right, lovely and worthy of thought or praise, then we would be foul mouthed, uncontrollable, smug, murderous, un-pure, hateful, abusive and down right ugly people.

We're only successful in gaining happiness, joy, peace, contentment and true love when we do exactly what we were meant to do from the beginning of time...which is to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind....and to love your neighbor (this also means friends, family and other people you meet in life) as you would love youself'.

True success comes from, and is, God. When we have developed a relationship and love for Him, and when we do His will, we will find everything that we are looking for. Success is not easy to obtain and maintain, just ask the big tycoons of this world, but with God's help and His love, strength and abundant patience we can slowly, but surely, gain the right kind of success and the right kind of happiness and goal for our lives.

A Story

Here's a little story that I wrote a couple of years ago. I wasn't sure what else to start my blog with, but this just happened to pop to my mind--so here it is.

She watched him pace back and forth, back and forth, back and forth until it made her head swim. Finally he stopped and went to the large mahogany desk and pulled at one of the gold handled drawers. Picking out an intricately carved, oak box he selected a fat, brown cigar and stuck it into his broad mouth. Again he rummaged through the drawer and pulled out a smaller version of the first box. Opening it, he took out a match and struck it against the box and a little flame burst up. With shaking fingers he held it to the end of his cigar. The rings on his last three fingers of his left hand sparkled momentarily then died out. He took a deep breath from the cigar and blew. Smoke curled up to the ceiling in a grey, lacy formation, then it faded gracefully into the already stifling air.

She had watched the whole process and now he lifted his eyes to meet hers and his two large, black eyes flickered with annoyance. He smiled; his already curved, raven like nose became more curved and even more raven like. His smile was extremely big because of his broad mouth, but the smile was not kind--no indeed. Rather, Amanda saw a secret smile that promised that she was in for something; something bad and wicked and full of trouble.

She felt sick, not from the worry of what was to come, but of the large man in front of her. He sat and folded his claws--no they were not claws, but hands with dirty cream colored grime underneath his talons--no! he had not talons!

She felt dizzy and wanted to get out of the room. She needed fresh air, now! She looked desperately at the tightly closed and locked French doors at the end of the room and wanted to open them, to feel the feather light breeze move about her and blow away her loneliness and sickness. Freedom--she needed it--that only would be her medicine, but the knowing look on the big man's face told her he would not open those doors for as long as she was in the room.

Amanda breathed deeply and folded her hands tightly in her lap. Come, come, she thought feverishly. Come, let's get it over with. She squeezed her eyes tightly. Then, finally, the door behind her creaked open and three men came in. She let out a shaky breath--now her fate would be decided.

It took long enough to have the three men settle down, and yet exchange greetings, and every other formality that existed, before eventually getting to the present case. Well, really, only two of the three men had to undergo all the formalities and introductions that ever existed, for the third man, who was younger than the other two, and had apparently, to Amanda's eyes, not ever entered the room before, stood unnoticed for a while until one of the men noticed to introduce him. Otherwise the younger man looked about the room with calculated interest. Too bad he had to be here now, Amanda thought as dryly as the warm, swimming air permitted.

The younger man's gaze came to rest on Amanda and he looked at her with piercing black eyes that glittered and said that he wasn't pleased to be there, but was there anyhow. Amanda looked back with hard scrutiny. She didn't like the look of things, and the fact that she had a hopeless situation--for everything would point against her and none of the men would ever stand up for her as they hadn't even been there--made her feel as if she were shriveling, yet not shriveling for she was not dying, but was shriveling into something hot (like a grape too long in the sun) and noticable.

That gaze...Amanda looked away and stared with rising anger at the desk in front of her. Her cheeks felt hot and she was feeling rather faint....

I'm afraid this is all you're going to see of this story, for I am not known for finishing them. You may see it one day between a hard or soft cover with a title and an author...but for now it is here.