Don’t Give Up

The poem, “The Paradoxical Commandments” by Kent Keith was printed in our church bulletin this week. You may know it.

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…

You can read it in the photo. You most certainly get the idea. I have heard this poem many times, but what I didn’t know is that it was written on the wall of Mother Teresa’s home for the most unwanted orphans in the poorest Calcutta.

It reminds me that no matter how bad something appears,you do not have to change your good ways to meet the bad times. Good and bad ebbs and flows.

When times are good most people think they will always be good and when times are bad most people think they will stay bad or get worse.

Times change and good times change faster than you think, and bad times change slower than you want. But change is always happening all around you. But you do not have to change your good ways no matter how bad times are. But you should change your bad ways.

I used to think that most people are good, but there are some very high profile bad people who have given regular people permission to be bad. I hope that karma catches up with the bad people. I still think there are more good than bad people. Being bad comes with its own baggage. Just like being good comes with its own lightness.

Please don’t let the darkness of our times change your goodness. The darkness will eventually change, but if you became dark with it it might be harder for you to change back.