The Poem Mother Teresa kept on her wall

When I was 9 years old I met Mother Teresa. She came to Louisville, Kentucky, to speak to a group, and I had lunch with her before she spoke. Mother Teresa became my role model. Ten years later, I learned that she had Kent Keith's poem "Anyway" on the wall of her home for children in Calcutta. Now I have a version of it on the wall of my home, specifically in my kitchen by the door where my children and I will see it every day before going out into the world. Here's what it says:

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

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. 

Serve people anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and genuine enemies. 

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today, most people will forget tomorrow. 

Do good anyway.

If you are honest and tell the truth, people may lie to you or not care.

Be honest anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by small-minded thinkers.

Think big anyway.

What you spend years creating, someone could destroy or steal overnight. 

Build something anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough for some people. 

Give your best anyway.

If you find peace and happiness, people may be jealous and say bad things about you.. 

Be happy anyway.

Ultimately, what’s most important is what’s between you and God. 

It was never between you and them anyway.

So be grateful for all that God’s given you, and give everything in your life 100% effort while you’re here on earth. Make what you do today matter, and the world will get a little bit better because of it.