Some years ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote these powerful words. Listen…

“How do you measure success?
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better
whether by a healthy child,
a redeemed social condition,
or a job well done;
To know that even one life has
breathed because you lived…
that is to have succeeded.”

I like that very much. It’s a beautiful statement… but, somehow I want to add one more ingredient to the mix, namely... compassion! The spirit of compassion… The touch of compassion.

Without that special Christian quality in our lives… our lives cannot really be succe…