"The Greatest Success of All"

[That's the title of this piece by speaker, author, and pastor, Steve Goodier. To subscribe to a regular diet of Steve's encouraging writing, sent to you via email, go to his web site here.]

"Skipper, a special message just came in for you from the admiral,"
the sailor said to his captain as he saluted. "I have it right here."

"Read it to me," the captain ordered.

The sailor read, "You are without a doubt, the most conceited,
self-absorbed, EGO-MANIAC ever to command a ship in the United States
Navy."

The skipper responded, "Have that communication decoded at once!"

For some people, it's all about them. For others, it's all about you.
Like author Leil Lowndes says, "There are two kinds of people in this
life. Those who walk into a room and say, 'Well, here I am.' And those
who walk in and say, 'Ahh, there you are.'"

Which are you? Are you more focused on getting your own needs met, or
on easing the burdens of others? Are you mostly trying to make
yourself happy, or are you interested in the happiness of those around
you?

Albert Einstein reminded us that "life isn't worth living, unless it
is lived for someone else." And toward the end of his life, he removed
the portraits of two scientists -- Isaac Newton and James Maxwell --
from his wall. He replaced them with portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and
Albert Schweitzer. Einstein explained that it was time to replace the
image of success with the image of service.

Maybe the greatest success of all is when we realize that it's not all
about us. And maybe the greatest happiness to be found is when we
share the happiness of others.