How do you Measure Success

How do you measure Success? that's what I was thinking about last night at about 2am when I should have been sleeping, I should have just got up and wrote it then.

I went way back to my high school days, just the fact that I made it through school and graduated was a success, I did't do very good but I did pass.

When I was in school I had no idea what I was going to do when I graduated, I wasn't like a lot of the other kids that knew exactly what they wanted to do, just no idea.
So join the U.S.Navy I did during Vietnam, that was a different Navy back then, after 4 years I got out, for me that was another success, just making it though with out getting into trouble.

I was out of the Navy for 4 years, I had an OK job and I was doing good, that's when I got married, so back then I guess you could say I was succeeding.
After being married for about 2 years, I was getting bored with work and other things so I reenlisted in the Navy, we picked up every thing and moved to San Diego from Minnesota, the goal was to finish my 16 years and retire and that's what I did, for me that was a big success.

I guess I should tell you about my biggest failure too, that was my marriage, It was doomed from the start and now we know why, we did have some good times so all the years together were not all a waist.
One of the biggest things we did is buy a house and that one thing has to be the thing that has allowed me to do what I am doing today, when we sold the house before we divorced we made 3 times the money we paid for it, that's when the housing market was at it's highest, we split the money, she bought a house free and clear and so did I, another success.

After I retired from the Navy I started a new career, I worked at that for 6 years until my wife and me split, I could not see staying in San Diego because 3/4 of my pay would just go to living there when I could move somewhere else work for 1/2 as much, not have to drive so far every day and still have money left over to live, that's how I ended up in Arizona.
When I moved here I started another new career which I have been doing now for the last 6 years, I have never been fired from a job, knock on wood, so I think you could say I have been successful in my career's.

My personal life is the only thing I have had a problem with and of course that is the biggest, most important thing of all, with out this what is there to live for really, I know why I have made it this far, I have the chance to make something out of the rest of my life, I know who I am now and I hope it's not too late.
Wish me Success.

Susan