unconditional kindness

I have been thinking a lot lately about kindness and being giving and realized that I have this expectation that if you are kind to someone, then they should reciprocate. But, they don't always, do they? And with that expectation, if the compassion, kindness, and respect isn't returned, we get so upset but like we learned to love unconditionally being kind also needs to be unconditional. I give because I give with no expectation of anything in return. This I'd like to practice.

As I have been thinking about this a lot in the last few months, this Mother Teresa quote has been popping up on facebook and it is so perfect:

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.