Do It Anyway

This poem is engraved on the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta. It was written by Kent M. Keith, who at the time, was a 19 year-old young man from Indiana. How Mother Teresa came upon the poem is still unknown, even to the author.

DO IT ANYWAY

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.