I just sent a quick update to a friend.

I have another teleconference today at noon-thirty. And I’m starved. The cat is asleep on my lap, and my ponytail is lopsided. That’s all for now.

He replied back with a very quick note.

And I am saving homes.

My friend’s note about how he was spending the morning at his job really hit home to me. Earlier in the day, I re-discovered one of my favorite poems:

What Is Success by Ralph Waldo Emerson

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 garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
This is to have succeeded.

One of my clients focuses on energy efficiency. Another group supports “green” efforts at conferences. I make a living being helpful. It’s good that I have friends who help remind me what’s important, and it’s not my ponytail orientation.