When asked to creatively introduce myself to a new professor and a new group of classmates, I contemplated exactly what approach I would take. After deciding against a lengthy saga of my life experiences, I opted for a more inspirational route with a compelling poem by a true hero who led a life of compassion, admiration and devotion.
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...Be successful anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you...Be honest and frank anyway.
What you could 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 will often be forgotten tomorrow...Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, it may never be enough, but 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.
-Mother Theresa
Not only does this poem encourage me to be happy and successful, it inspires me to reach out to those around me for the personal satisfaction and fullfilment, not for the compliments and praise. It motivates me to be a better person so that at the end of the day, I will feel a sense of pride in knowing that I made a contribution to the world around me. At the end of my journey, I can only hope my family and friends will remember me as a person who stood up for what she believed in, helped those in need and lived her life to the fullest each and every day.
