The following poem was found written on the wall in Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta. It has been attributed to Kent Keith as the original author. I want to share it with you because it’s very powerful.
Do Good Anyway
(Or The Paradoxical Commandments)
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you;
Be honest and sincere anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds;
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs;
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them;
Help anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, people may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
