Do It Anyway
by Mother Teresa
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.
Her entire life is in this poem...the reasons behind each and every action, each line, each hope and faith. It is so easy to question these ideas throughout communications and interactions with others. It is so easy to do the opposite...much easier, in fact. This poem carries an energy that continues to extend and repeat and weave together the common threads of experience of the human life. Between human and spirit, it presents such a simple philosophy and spirituality that becomes the human condition.
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