What is Success?

A couple of days ago, my mom gave me a book of short stories my cousin had compiled from newspaper articles he has written. While reading through them I came upon one story where he talked about his daughter being in the junior miss pageant in their area. There is a part of the pageant where they ask the contestants a question and the contestant has to come up with an off the cuff answer. The question they asked his daughter was, "How would you define success?".
I've been thinking about that question quite a bit the last couple of days and decided that success can mean a myriad of different things to a myriad of different people. Success can be making your first million, or that fancy new car or house you've always wanted. It can be all those fun new toys like boats, snowboards, t.v.'s, atv's or fine home furnishings, but those are all just things. Things that can disappear in a moments notice taken by fire, flood, earthquake or other hapless ways.
Do I have the million dollars? No, but I have 5 great kids who are the pride and joy of my life so I'm richer than most! Do I drive the fanciest cars? No, but the cars I have run and get me to work and to the places I need to go. Do I have the nicest house in the neighborhood? Probably not but there is a roof to keep the sun, snow and rain off of my head and walls to keep out the cold and wind. Do I have all of the fun toys? No, but I have some and they aren't any fun without someone to share them with.
So I guess I'm saying that I'm successful because I have a good marriage to wonderful husband. I have five great kids who are contributing to society in a positive way. I have friends and family to share my good and bad times with. I have a fantastic job in which I have touched many lives and hope to touch many more. And each day I get up with the resolve to try something new and try each day to add more to the world than I take away. If that's not success, than I don't know what is.