Much of trial practice and life leads lawyers to remove themselves from humanity with legal technicalities. As lawyers, we can learn a lot from other great leaders, including Mother Theresa.
Mother Theresa had a copy of the following poem hanging on a wall of the orphanage she founded in Calcutta. The original author is unknown.
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.
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 God;
It is never between you and them anyway.