Serenity Prayer

“God,

Gant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And Wisdom to know the difference.” Reinhold Niebuhr

My grandmother kept a copy of the Serenity Payer on her bathroom mirror. Today I honor her by doing the same. I can remember as a young girl seeing and reading the prayer in her bathroom every morning when I visited. What I especially remember is that I thought, “this is the most ridiculous prayer! If there is a problem, I know if I try hard enough, I will be able to solve or fix it!”

Many years later, many trials later, I have learned the hard way the truth of the Serenity Prayer. There are so many things I cannot change. In fact, the only thing I can change is myself and my reactions to other people and situations. I cannot change others. I try to share my first-hand experience with spiritual friends, but so often others like myself need a first-hand rather than a second-hand experience to see this truth.

I wonder if it took my adoring grandmother as long as it did me to see and try to find and live the truth?

I wonder if she had as many setbacks as I so often do, thinking I can change situations and others?

Joanna joannaseibert.com