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 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.

                              -Kent M. Keith

This poem has served as such a huge reminder to me in my life, especially at times when people have done things to hurt me or tear me down.  It serves as my reminder that no matter how bad someone else breaks your heart or hurts your feelings or causes you to feel grief or pain there is never a justification to change who you are over it, there is never justification to stoop to that level.

Stay the good person you are for your sake – Stick to your integrity and your courage even when other people around you don’t.  Be kind even when someone else is being mean.  Don’t spread lies and gossip just because someone else was willing to do that. Continue to stand strong and be the best person you can be, despite what anyone else does in life.

Most of all, don’t allow yourself to worry about what other people think – Focus on caring what God thinks – after all, He’s the smartest one in the bunch 🙂

~Amy