I want serenity. The definition of serenity is calm and untroubled; without worry, stress, or disturbance. Ahhhh…sounds heavenly. A day like today always leads me back to the The Serenity Prayer I have posted over my desk. This prayer is closely associated with 12-step programs, but it was originally written by Reinhold Niebuhr in 1943. I read it often, as I’m sure most of us do, but today I really read it. I picked it apart; sentence by sentence, word by word. I found new meaning in it today and it helped me. I found some peace for the first time today. The weight didn’t seem so heavy. My troubles seemed not so important.
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.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonable happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
Maybe this will help you today. Maybe you are having a day like mine. Maybe you are having trouble accepting things you can’t change. Maybe you haven’t found the courage to make changes that need to be made. Maybe you are not living in the moment. Maybe you find yourself in the past or in the future much too often. Maybe you are struggling to accept the hardships that have come your way. Maybe appreciating things the way they are is proving challenging for you. Maybe your expectation of happiness is leaving you disappointed. Maybe your faith in a higher power has been shaken. Or maybe you will just print this and keep it close by for when you have one of those days.
My personal idea of serenity is lying on the beach listening to the waves crash or sitting on my porch appreciating the amazing view I have. It’s where I feel most calm and most untroubled. Luckily for me, I plan to spend a good portion of my summer at the beach and the remaining time doing nothing in the comfort of my home. Where do you find serenity? I would love to hear about it!