You May Count That Day

If you sit down at set of sun
And count the acts that you have done,
And, counting, findOne self-denying deed,
one wordThat eased the heart of him who heard--
One glance most kind,That fell like sunshine where it went--
Then you may count that day well spent.

But if, through all the livelong day,
You've cheered no heart, by yea or nay--
If, through it all
You've nothing done that you can trace
That brought the sunshine to one face--
No act most small
That helped some soul and nothing cost--
Then count that day as worse than lost.

George Eliot