Do It Anyway

When I read this poem first time, it felt like Mother Teresa’s poem is a wonderful reminder for each us to continue to be good even when it looks bleak.

Mother Teresa’s Anyway Poem

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 frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank 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 The God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

The above verses reportedly were written on the wall of Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta, India, and are widely attributed to her.

They seem to be based on a composition originally by Kent Keith, but much of the second half has been re-written in a more spiritual way.  You can read both version using following link:

The Mother Teresa Connection (The Paradoxical Commandments by Kent M. Keith)

 

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