Wise Advice about Perspective in Life, from Mother Teresa

This poem (a "final analysis" prayer, putting things in proper perspective) is engraved on the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta. Evidently it is a revision, either by Mother Teresa or someone else, of an earlier poem by Kent Keith. She liked the revised version, and put it on her wall.

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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 best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysisit

is between you and God;

it was never between you and them anyway.