My heart aches when I see
Tortured souls in society
They toil, fret, and scheme
To chase someone else’s dream
So desperate in their quest
For material success
They jump through hoops
In all the right ways
To find only heartache
At the end of their days
Put too much faith
In physical things
Unaware of the regrets
That approach brings
Seeking approval from without
Is not what success is all about
It is when I came to see
How much happier I could be
Doing all the things that I love
Not just a job I was tired of
And true success became a fact
When those I loved
Loved me back
–Russ Towne
The Duck Who Flew Upside Down
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Rusty Bear and Thomas Too
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Clyde and Friends 3 Books in 1!
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Slices of Life
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Palpable Imaginings
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From the Heart of a Grateful Man
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Reflections of a Grateful Man
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Heart Whispers
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russtowne
Poets Corner
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
Wiser words were never spoken,,,,
Thank you, Lori.
Russ
Beautiful and oh so true…Diane
I appreciate your comment and compliment, Diane.
I wanted to give you this: http://utesmile.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/award-time-part-two/
Thank you, Ute! And congratulations on your awards! A great reader is a dear friend on a shared adventure.
Russ
So true Russ..and beautifully stated..
Thank you, Mimi. “Beautifully stated” is how I view virtually all of your writing.
Russ
That’s very kind – and I think you’re being overly-generous (which somehow doesn’t surprise me..:-))
Thank you, Mimi. That might be true, and I appreciate the compliment. I have three questions for you:
What.if.I’m.not.being.overly.generous?
What.if.your.writing.is.actually.beautifully.stated?
What then, my friend?
Russ
Oh Russ…on the one hand I’m laughing and on the other, I’m shaking my head..You ask the questions I can’t answer. I suppose if it is beautifully stated in your eyes, then I am beyond gratified and humbled. And I don’t think these thoughts are mutually exclusive – for you are abundant in your generosity and kindness to all who are lucky enough to be in your orbit..
:-D! Having you in my life is one of the reasons I am a grateful man. May your beautiful words flow freely for all the days of my life and may I be fortunate enough to be able to read them for at least as long. ;-D!
Russ
I look forward to our exchanges for many years to come! 🙂
Me too!
Love this.
I love that you love it, Jolyn. Thank you for telling me. I love much of what I read at your site too.
Russ
Thank you Russ. 🙂