21 September 2010

my favorite poem

thank you for the loud hurrah's about this week-long birthday celebration. and i loved hearing your excitement about my new nail polish habit. it's fun having friends like you around. which is why today i wanted to share a favorite poem of mine. the first time i heard it i was graduating high school. i still love its message. (after you read it, you might like to watch this clip about filtering out the static of the world and tuning in to something ultimately more important. i think it's a perfect reminder for bloggers like me who sometimes frantically swim in a sea of too much-ness.)  

DO IT ANYWAY
by Mother Theresa

People are often unreasonable, irrational, 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 sincere, people may cheat you;
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, someone could destroy overnight;
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it will never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.


next up, celebrating more favorites.

30 comments:

Christen E. Krumm said...

beautiful...

xo,
christen

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I have only read pieces of this before, never the complete piece. It's wonderful. I'm about to copy and send to a few friens. Spreading the message, thanks.

Hil said...

love this... and really love the clip. thanks for sharing Marta.

Krista said...

I have always loved this poem too! Thanks for reminding me of it today!!

Amy at Ameroonie Designs said...

Love this poem. I'm going to make a print to hang on my clipboard. I'm so glad it's your birthday ;)

Hannah said...

My YW Leader gave us a copy of this poem when I was in high school. I hung it on my mirror along with a few other great quotes. Mother Theresa was a wise, wonderful woman.

Love the clip. Thanks for linking to it!

oneordinaryday said...

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing this.

ag. said...

so glad you shared this. 'give the world the best you've got'...i love it!

Amanda said...

I've never read this poem before--thanks for sharing it with me.

kwindell said...

Lovely. Thank you.

talesofahummingbird said...

as always, thanks for sharing inspiring words at somehow just the right moment in time. and...i'm sporting nail polish on my nails today for the first time in...years. you inspired me to pamper myself. thanks!

MarjnHomer said...

i loved this so much i posted it as a note on my fb acct. thnx for the inspiration

Mrs Abbott said...

Like! Just today someone was giving me counsel about something I disagree on. It's between me and the Lord.

Miranda said...

of course i love this. perfect thing to be reminded of today. thanks so much for sharing.

Lindsay-Jean said...

I'd been slogging through this day - thanks for the pick-me-up!

Anonymous said...

love this. good reminder and good perspective. thanks for sharing.

Jen Holtkamp said...

love this...thank you!

Johanna said...

this is so beautiful. thank you for finding it and sharing it with us!

Vanessa Rae said...

Thanks for sharing Marta. Happy Day!

Lynn Osborne said...

Marta, my daughter introduced me to this poem. I love it also. It actually was written by Kent Keith and he wrote a book (Anyway, the Paradoxical Commandments) that goes into this whole idea in greater detail. It is often attributed to Mother Teresa because she had it posted on the wall at her mission. Thanks for posting it!

SewSara said...

i really needed this message tonight!
thanks, marta :)

Amanda said...

Thanks for sharing this. I really needed that :)

kylee said...

in love with that poem. thank you for posting it.

Travelin'Oma said...

I love wrapping up my day with uplifting thoughts.

Liz said...

What a beautiful poem. Thanks for sharing.

Cathy said...

thank you!

Parkin Family said...

what a perfect way to start my day!

Katie Mitchell said...

Wow Marta! That poem is amazing! Thank you for sharing.

summer said...

beautiful.

The Single Nester said...

Thank you for sharing this. Every word is so true.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...