Mother Teresa Quote

My daughter was having a hard time with people who didn't live up to her expectations. She was unwilling to forgive them and accept them for where they were at. I sent her this poem and put it up here as a reminder to anyone reading this blog and to me. I hope you enjoy it.

People are often unreasonable,
Illogical and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,
People may accuse
You of selfish 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 have anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
It is between you and God;

It never was between you and them anyway.

~Mother Teresa~

A Mr.Randy Baker informed me that this quote is actually from the book "Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments" by Kent Keith. I stand corrected.

Comments

[Matthew Rochte]

These are great quotes and they have been mis-attributed to Mother Teresa. The original author of these Paradoxical Commandments were written by Kent Keith in 1968, when he was 19, a sophomore at Harvard College. They were part of the second chapter on "Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership:"

http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/origin.html

[Tom Harrington]

I just went and found Kent Keith's version and I like Mother Teresa's 'final analysis' much better. It appears true that Dr. Keith had the original idea but somehow down the line it was changed to a version I like much better. Was it Mother Teresa?
http://harringtonphotog.com

[Tom Harrington]

OK I found the answer apparently answered by Dr. Keith here is the link:
http://www.kentmkeith.com/mother_teresa.html