People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives,
If you are successful you win false friends and true enemies,
The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow,
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable,
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight,
People really need help but may attack you if you help them,
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth,
- Taken from A Simple Path, the story of the life and work of Mother Theresa of India and her Missionaries of Charity homes around the world. This poem is from a sign on the wall of Shishu Bhavan children's home in Calcutta.
LOVE THEM ANYWAY
DO GOOD ANYWAY
SUCCEED ANYWAY
DO GOOD ANYWAY
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY
BUILD ANYWAY
HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT ANYWAY.
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