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.

Ralph Walso Emerson, whose writings were an inspiration to the Griffins

This simple poem sums up the ideals of the Griffins to me, and relates to the tenets of anthroposophy.