Serenity

One of the better known prayers is the Serenity Prayer. It's non-denominational and simple. It's very simplicity masks how profound the meaning is. And though it's best known from Alcoholic's Anonymous, the truth is, it's all-purpose in everyday life.

Some folks object to the word God in it. That's fine. Direct it wherever you like. The important thing about it isn't the first line anyway. The power begins in the second line...to accept the things I cannot change. We are living that line large and loud right now. Our lives from the beginning of each day to the end are all about those huge circumstances we can't change. So, that first step toward serenity or peace or whatever you might want to call it is to accept the present--accept it with grace and love and patience.

The next line isn't possible until we complete the first. Once we accept, then we can seek the courage to change those things we can change. In my mind, those things we can change aren't physical, but our mindset. We can choose to be all grumpy and snarly and irritable. Or, if we truly have courage, we can generate joy and love and unselfishness. Remember, we are seeking the courage to change. No one is forcing us to embark on that journey.

And finally, most importantly, we ask for the wisdom, the understanding to differentiate between those things we must accept and those things we can change. I once sat in a Family Anonymous meeting, weeping my heart out because I hadn't grasped this concept. Some things we cannot change. Fear. Grief. Desolation. Anxiety. They don't go away because we wave our hand and declare them gone. How we choose to deal with them, though, is something we can change. We can say to ourselves, "I am afraid. But I choose not to let it overwhelm me. I am anxious, but I know things will inevitably change."

Blessings on this day.

Anny