Comments on: Mother Teresa’s Poem “ANYWAY”

By: Angela

Angela — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 22:57:15 +0000

That is beautiful. I struggle with these things all the time, I want to be good to everyone but not everyone wants to be good to each other, I want to help people but people wonder what’s in it for you, for me doing something positive makes me feel better and that’s what’s in it for me but most people don’t think that’s enough of a reason to be kind and help people. I have been hurt a lot and I have had to remember to keep my guard up because not everyone has altruistic motives like I do. It is hard to make a living at being kind but I’m not kind because I want to make a living out if it, I’m kind because I think we all should be kind to one another but in this world that sometimes is a tough thing to hold on to and not get depressed when you realize how many people are so dead in their core that they can’t find the…whatever it is, to just try to be respectful and courteous to one another. This does make me feel better, and I will print this poem so I don’t forget that there are people who understand and feel the same way.

Thank you for posting this

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 31 May 2008 02:26:22 +0000

First of all, this is not a poem at all but a section out of booklet written in 1968 by Dr. Kent Keith. The booklet is titled “The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Council” and the section is entitled “The Paradoxical Commandments”. In 1997, Keith Kent heard his creation being shared at a Rotary Club meeting and being attributed to Mother Teresa. Since then Dr. Kent has written a great book detailing the origins of these commandments coming out of his own personal experience. The book is called Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments—Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World, published in 2001 by G.P Putnam’s sons.

By: laura winters

laura winters — Fri, 04 May 2007 18:36:51 +0000

I kept this poem on my dresser. It gave me the strength during the roughest time of my life. It reminds us good people to stay the way we are, and not to let the not so good people bring us down. Mother Teresa is a true blessing

By: Wanda Mundy

Wanda Mundy — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 22:24:21 +0000

This poem – Anyway – was not written by Mother Theresa, the Dalai Lama or Nelson Mandella – all of whom have been credited with the writing of this poem. It was written by a young Harvard student in the late 1940’s, when he was a contributor to the campus newspaper. This fact was researched by Reader’s Digest – and the copy of the campus newspaper can still be accessed. At last report, the (now) old gentleman resides in Hawaii – where he’s seen his poem travel all around the world at least once a generation since he graduated. He would have been quite content to be its anonymous author, had a REAL Journalist – one who actually checks facts and sources – not come along.

WC Mundy

By: Joy

Joy — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 13:27:39 +0000

The song “Anyway” by Martina McBride from her new album Waking Up Laughing uses ideas from this poem by Mother Teresa. Great song – inspiring poem.

By: sancha

sancha — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 09:47:51 +0000

Ive just read your poem and it was really moving,its a really beautiful poem.

By: Libby Bishop

Libby Bishop — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:32:31 +0000

There is a country song out now that shares Mother Teresa’s lyrics—-I know that writer got their ideas from this really wonderful poem! I wonder if they got permission to use her words? Libby

By: Lori

Lori — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 00:44:08 +0000

An Innocence Lost

As Alice,
She wanderd through
a Looking glass
of corruption
and violence.
No return,
Except to walk
through the fire
of Wonderland
surrounded by
bodies as broken
as her dreams.
Trusting the one
who chose
to abuse the angel
that stood before him.
Victim became
survivor,
her story a lesson
to all who seek
answers to
questions best
left in darkness.
The screams
of those
who remained
in Wonderland
now silenced
by the horror.
Finding a nightmare
instead of a
fairytale,
Alice flees this place
and forever searches
for peace
outside the pain.

By: Roy Hiltz

Roy Hiltz — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 17:59:04 +0000

Poem was written by Kent M. Keith ,a Harvard student when he was 19.

By: brandi

brandi — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 09:07:39 +0000

the poem was so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes.that is turely a poem to live
by. every one should read it. i now about abuse because i have seen my mother go though it and she better to day and is doing well.