Sunday, May 23, 2010

the paradoxical commandments

heart


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 world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

{adapted from Keith Kent’s “The Paradoxical Commandments”}
{Anyway was hung in Mother Teresa's bedroom}

6 comments:

Claudia said...

I love these. Thank you for posting them!

xo
Claudia

Pansy Cottage Girl said...

I love that! Boy its a challenge to teach that principal to my children. They are just too young to understand right now but I am working on it. Stop over I am having a giveaway.

*The Beautiful Life* said...

Cathy -- how amazingly beautiful. I plan to print them out and have them in my office and/or here in the house somewhere... So great... just so great. :)

You doing good?? :)

Ruth

Paul said...

As the poet said, a hundred years ago, "Tis not whether you win or lose. 'Tis rather how you play the game."

Kellee said...

Words to live by, and an gorgeous image to boot! :)

patty said...

i love this poem, cathy. i wonder if i saw it in mother teresa's book?? don't know. this photo goes with it perfectly, too! :)

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