I was stirred by the following email from a friend. The verses below reportedly were written on the walls of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, India.
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 your best and it may never be enough;
. . . Give the world your best anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway
For a bit of history on the verses, click here.