Anyway

Als auteur van dit gedicht wordt moeder Teresa meestal genoemd, maar 'Anyway' is gebaseerd op een gedicht dat Kent M. Keith in 1968 heeft geschreven en dat hij 'The Paradoxal Commandments' noemde.
Zijn versie kun je op deze link lezen:

The Paradoxal Commandments

Nu volgt de versie die in een van de weeshuizen van moeder Teresa in Calcutta op de muur stond:

Anyway

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 true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest 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 God;
It was never between you and them anyway.