"God grant 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 (The prayer used in most 12 step programs).
Think how easy it would be to glide through life practicing this philosophy. It is profound advise; promising serenity, courage and wisdom in the midst of life's chaos. It is true reverence for life.
My own nature (and I am not alone here) needs to find something I can identify as a problem so I can come up with a fix and a plan. There is this innate need to worry about something, anything.
When I embrace the serenity prayer, I respond with the words like "I don't know" "I'm sorry" "hmm". Maybe I serve my fellow humans better with those responses. How often does a problem reveal itself by begging for our "expert" solution? It takes a strength and courage to back off and not handle things.
Then I could move from that habitual worrying to laughing, loving them as they are, gratitude. Serenity now!
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