What is a life well lived?

What is a life well lived? This question has plagued me for my entire life. I wonder what whomever first ppondered this question actually meant and what was their answer. I also consider all the people in the world who have a unique view with which to answer this timeless question. You read people's epitaph and it says "They led a life well lived" or you see a movie titled " A life well lived". But what exactly is the measurement for this? It is subjective, of course, but there must be some tools with which to measure whether or not someone had a life which was wasted or one which seemed to be a total success? I ponder this only in the sense I do not want to let time pass with no sense of accomplishment. I certainly do not mean that by a measurement of regular ways and means. I want to say I feel successful in a well lived life if I made someone happy, touched people or inspired them in some way, acknowledged those who inspired and taught me, spent my time somewhat useful, helped my fellow human kind, was good to animals and the planet, lived a life with little foot prints, helped make aware certain issues which needed to be made light filled, "helped many someones in need and accepted help when I was in need, educated myself well, experimented with everything and did everything I wanted to do which caused no harm, traveled as much as possible to learn other cultures and ways, saw beauty in all of life, expressed my feelings in positive ways to those whom I love, loved and cared for my self and this body which is such an amazing gift, spent time with those I love and even strangers and tried to be the best possible person I could be in light of all challenges, speak the truth no matter how hard it may be while knowing when to stay silent, taken time to stop and watch the sunset-moon rise-plant blossom etc., read well, listened well, shared, expanded my sense of comfort, took chances and dared to be myself. There is so much more. The most important of all is that I know for sure I have had a life filled with joy and have spent my life offering compassion and joy. How great and wondrous is that? While many of my cohorts were trying to gain professional success, riches, rewards, fame and fortune I passed it up for experience and other seemingly less important tasks. I guess I never saw the joy in driving an expensive car, wear a fur coat or have my name flashed on the pages of Who's Who". Not that I would turn away from the idea but it was not a marker for me to which to move toward.

Some say it is a blessing and a gift to have a chronic-life threatening illness. I agree !! It really forces one to examine a life which in the past was less examined. It saved my life to be quite frank. I was not moving in a direction I would consider to be successful or fulfilling in the ways which are of importance now. What a process though. This to be continued !!!!!