Do It Anyway
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 true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest anyway.
What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness,
they 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 God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
― Excerpt from The Paradoxical Commandments by Kent M. Keith
May 22, 2014
I LOVE THE WISDOM IN THESE WORDS! Thanks for posting this!
Actually Shawn, these words were written by Kent M. Keith in his book called The Paradoxical Commandments. The reason Mother Teresa has been wrongly credited for this poem is because it was found on a wall in her home after she died. Still though, these words are full of wisdom and guidance.
When I was teaching, I gave a copy of these words to each of my graduates when I attended their graduation parties.