What does success mean to you?
Marie Snider
Originally published 09:41 a.m., October 27, 2007
Updated 09:41 a.m., October 27, 2007
As a girl, when my mother called me to help with supper, all I had to say to be excused was “I’m reading.”
For my mother, who was a fabulous cook herself, book learning was much more important than household skills.
As a result, I really didn’t know how to cook when I married at age 27.
Trying to be fair to my future husband, I told him, “I don’t know how to cook.” He seemed to take in stride and married me anyway.
Like most young married couples, we had a very limited budget so the only meats we could afford were easy to cook — hot dogs and hamburger.
For Sunday dinner, I baked “Spam” according to the recipe on the tin. Scored and topped with mustard and brown sugar, then studded with whole cloves, it was an acceptable substitute for delicious Virginia Country Ham.
Once in a great while, I fried a chicken. At a time when there were no chicken parts in the grocery stores, I tried to cut it up like I had seen my mother do many times. Unfortunately, it was two or three years before I finally found a wishbone.
After a few months of marriage, my husband questioned, “How can you make so many dirty dishes with so little food?”
I reminded him, “I told you that I didn’t know how to cook.” Whereupon he replied, “I didn’t believe you.”
Much later as a young faculty wife, I entertained many students — sometimes 15 at a time.
One time, a polite young woman came to me before she went to the buffet table and said, “I’ve been looking forward to this meal. Everybody talks about what a wonderful cook you are.”
I count that compliment as one of the biggest successes in my whole life!
Success means different things to different people. For some, it is throwing a successful party. For others, it is seeing their adult children loving their work.
For still others, it is having enough money for the necessities and a few simple luxuries. And for sports enthusiastists it may be making a hole-in-one or playing a great game of tennis.
For my mother, it was baking bread for the first time in her life at age 80.
When it comes to success, Jack Canfield of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series is a role model, with more than 50 titles in print and over 80 million copies sold in 39 languages.
In order to be a success, says Canfield, you have to take 100 percent responsibility for your life. Decide what you want and make it happen.
Take control of your life, he advises. Focus on your strengths and interests. Think positive. Give up your excuses. And always remember, that the weakest excuse of all is age.
So why not forget how old you are for a while and think about what you have always wanted to do. Do you still want to do it? Or is there something new you have been dreaming about? What does success mean to you NOW?
Answer that question. Then go for it! And don’t let your age get in the way. After all, this is the piece of life you have left.
• Write Marie Snider at thisside60@aol.com or visit her website at www.visit-snider.com