Uploaded on April 26, 2012
If you were busy being kind,
Before you knew it, you would find
You’d soon forget to think ’twas true
That someone was unkind to you.
If you were busy being glad,
And cheering people who are sad,
Although your heart might ache a bit,
You’d soon forget to notice it.
If you were busy being good,
And doing just the best you could,
You’d not have time to blame some man
Who’s doing just the best he can.
If you were busy being right,
You’d find yourself too busy quite
To criticize your neighbor long
Because he’s busy being wrong.
—The Book of Virtues
edited by William J. Bennett
04.26.2024: I wrote this in response to a comment the post received at Flickr: “You’re a sweetheart, John — and so is Stella. A few minutes before taking this shot, I helped Stella down the front steps and she said, ‘You’re the greatest.'”