Thanksgiving is the time when most everyone focuses their thoughts, if for some only briefly, on what they have to be thankful for in life. Certainly, daily thanksgiving would be a better strategy than waiting for a yearly holiday; nevertheless, Thanksgiving is a great time to remind ourselves about what’s most important in life and think about the many blessings that have come our way.

I came across something very interesting recently that I thought I would share on this Thanksgiving Day. It was written by Kent M. Keith back in 1968 when he was only 19 years old. Amazingly, this short piece has traveled around the world and even ended up on the wall of people such as Mother Teresa. It’s called "The Paradoxical Commandments." I hope you enjoy it!

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THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS
by Keith M. Kent

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

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If you would like to learn more about Kent Keith or the history behind "The Paradoxical Commandments," here is a link to his website:

Click here to visit "The Paradoxical Commandments" website

I like to think about these kinds of paradoxes, especially as they relate to Thanksgiving. Sometimes giving thanks for what we have is difficult because things are not exactly the way we would like for them to be or not the way we planned for them to be. Maybe it would be good to add another line to "The Paradoxical Commandments" on this Thanksgiving Day:

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If you work hard to achieve your goals and maintain an attitude of thanksgiving, you may still fall short of your expectations.
Work hard and be thankful anyway.

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I like adding this last statement, especially on Thanksgiving. Besides, you may be short of your expectations now, but who knows what opportunity is going to present itself right around the next corner!

Happy Thanksgiving!