Two years ago on Christmas Day, I received a phone call from Rome. (No, Dr. St. Martin, it wasn’t the Pope.) It was from my good friend, Mike Patorno, and his father-in-law, Mr. Paul Gil. They were excited because that morning in St. Peter’s Square, they heard the Pope deliver his message in 30 different languages and received the Papal blessing. Mike, his wife, Angela, and their family love Europe.

Mr. Paul thinks his mission on earth is to help me with my Christian walk and brought me a gift from Rome.

Mike, Mr. Paul, and I have breakfast every Saturday morning, and as we left the restaurant last week, Mr. Paul gave me something he said might help me. I told him I would use it in my article. Please allow me to share it with you. I think it might help all of us, including Mr. Paul.

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 God; It was never between you and them anyway.

– Mother Teresa

If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, Inc., P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call (985) 652-8477, or e-mail: hkeller@comcast.net.