Success to me is having ten honeydew melons and eating only the

The words of Barbra Streisand may at first appear whimsical, even playful: “Success to me is having ten honeydew melons and eating only the top half of each slice.” Yet hidden within this metaphor lies a profound wisdom about abundance, freedom, and the meaning of success. Streisand, a woman of art and triumph, was not speaking merely of fruit, but of the liberty to choose, the ability to live without fear of lack, and the rare joy of savoring life without compulsion to consume it all. Her image of honeydew melons is a parable—an image that reveals how true success is not in possessing alone, but in possessing enough to enjoy without desperation.

The origin of this saying comes from a mind that had climbed from struggle to renown. Streisand knew the pangs of scarcity and the discipline of striving. To her, the melon—sweet, refreshing, plentiful—became a symbol of prosperity. To eat only the top half of each slice is to declare freedom from want, to taste life’s sweetness without fear of losing it. It is a vision of success as abundance that allows for choice, for generosity, and for the luxury of leaving behind what one does not need.

History, too, shows us this truth. Consider the wealthy patrons of Florence during the Renaissance, such as the Medici family. Their success was not measured merely in gold, but in their ability to use their wealth for beauty and generosity. They commissioned artists, sculptors, and architects, not because they needed paintings to survive, but because they had abundance enough to shape culture. Like Streisand’s honeydew, their wealth allowed them to take the sweetest portion and leave the rest for others, thus feeding not only their own souls but the spirit of an entire age.

At its heart, Streisand’s imagery speaks of the difference between survival and success. In survival, one eats every bite, for fear there may be no more. In success, one can taste what is best, what is most delightful, and set aside the rest without anxiety. To live this way is not wasteful, but a sign of freedom. It means one has transcended scarcity, that one’s cup has overflowed. It is the state where life is not dictated by necessity but guided by joy, purpose, and discernment.

Yet this wisdom carries a warning. Many mistake hoarding for success, gathering melons but never daring to taste them, or devouring all in greed and fear of tomorrow. Streisand’s parable teaches that true success lies not in gluttony, nor in anxious hoarding, but in the ability to enjoy. To savor the best and let go of the rest—this is mastery of wealth, rather than being mastered by it. For what good is possession if it brings no freedom? What good is abundance if it breeds only fear?

The lesson is thus: strive for a life where your labor brings you not only sustenance but freedom. Work diligently, so that your table is filled. But when it is filled, learn to eat with joy, not with fear. Take the sweetness that nourishes your soul, and let go of what you do not need. Share it with others, or leave it behind, knowing that you are rich enough to choose. In this way, your success will be measured not by how much you have, but by how deeply you can enjoy and how freely you can give.

Practically, this means cultivating gratitude and perspective. Do not measure success only by accumulation, but by the quality of life it affords. Ask yourself: can I afford to take only the best part, and leave the rest? Can I savor beauty without clinging? Can I give freely because I know there will be enough? Live with this mindset, and you will taste life’s honeydew not in fear, but in joy.

So remember Streisand’s teaching: “Success to me is having ten honeydew melons and eating only the top half of each slice.” Let it remind you that abundance is not merely about having, but about having enough to choose joy over necessity, generosity over greed, and freedom over fear. This is the higher taste of life, the sweet portion of true success.