These verses decorate the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, and capture the spirit in which the Missionaries of Charity live their lives. They are believed to be based on a composition originally penned by Kent Keith but have been adapted to reflect a more spiritual dimension.
If you are kind,
people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway!
If you are successful,
you will win some unfaithful friends
and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway!
If you are honest and sincere
people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway!
What you spend years creating,
others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway!
If you find serenity and happiness,
some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway!
The good you do today,
will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway!
Give the best you have,
and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway!
People are often unreasonable,
irrational, and self-centred.
Forgive them anyway!
In the final analysis,
it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway!
Mother Teresa of Calcutta