Mother Teresa's ANYWAY Poem

Today I saw a quote that touched my heart. “Your capacity to allow people to live a truth completely opposite to yours, without shutting off your compassion for them, is a reflection of how powerful your love is.” I don’t know who said that, but those words had a profound affect on me. I have been engaging in a lot of political discourse lately and finding myself feeling very frustrated and irritated. I need to work on cultivating my compassion for those whose truth is completely opposite of mine. The quote reminded me of Mother Teresa’s ANYWAY poem. I’m posting it here for myself and anyone else who might need to read these wonderful words.

Mother Teresa’s ANYWAY Poem

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Love 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.