On success

A short post today because I think this passage - from a book written over a hundred years ago by American author Edith Wharton - speaks mostly for itself.

The only thing I will add is what I believe is implied, but not written: that freedom in this passage is inner peace.

“Selden pushed his hat back and took a side-glance at her. ‘Success—what is success? I shall be interested to have your definition.’

‘Success?’ She hestitated. ‘Why, to get as much as one can out of life, I suppose. It’s a relative quality, after all. Isn’t that your idea of it?’

‘My idea of it? God forbid!’ He sat up with sudden energy, resting his elbows on his knees and staring out upon the mellow fields. ‘My idea of success,’ he said, ‘is personal freedom.’

‘Freedom? Freedom from worries?’

‘From everything—from money, from poverty, from ease and anxiety, from all the material accidents. To keep a kind of republic of the spirit—that’s what I call success.’”

Be well and safe this holiday weekend, beautiful people.