As I shopped for and then began to prepare food for my family, I thought about this poem I have displayed in my counseling office. In my profession, some would analyze the emotions and thoughts in this poem and label it in various ways, such as co-dependent, dependent, even narcissistic. I understand that I don’t live up to these ideals, but I like to be uplifted by the emotion and feel my idealism and hope be rekindled.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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 your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.