The Undiscovered Country

Knowing The Difference

A lot of people know the "Serenity Prayer," but here it is anyway:

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.

According to Wikipedia, Reinhold Niebuhr wrote the prayer to use in his sermons at the Heath Evangelical Union Church in Heath, Massachusetts as early as 1934 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer). It has since been adopted by Alcoholic Anonymous and other 12-step addiction programs.

With the 24/7 news media both on television and on the Internet, and a veritable ocean of articles and opinion pieces on all forms of social media, it's easy to feel like I'm drowning.

Too many of them show the world as nearing its end. Celebrity deaths, scary weather, rumors of war, wars unending, death of innocents, hatred and people unwilling to listen or help - if not outright attack and harm - others, for no other reason than political differences, I can't help but ask God, "Enough already. Isn't it about time you come down here and fix all this?" As much as I may pray for that, however, I'm glad he hasn't yet, and hope he doesn't any time soon. But that's another subject for another time.

An even worse reaction is an overwhelming sense of helplessness and hopelessness. I want to be able to do something, but I have neither the power, nor the resources. I am left to continue to live my life in comfort, and watch the world seemingly fall apart around me.

In doing so, however, I miss the opportunities available to me, to see the power I have, sometimes literally at my fingertips.

I belong to a group called "Moms Meeting Moms." The leader of the group is probably the most giving, ambitious volunteer I have ever met. She has a God-given gift that I find both inspiring and envious. She actively seeks out people, groups and charities needing assistance even with the "smallest" of needs. A few weeks ago, she found a children's group home that needed help wrapping Christmas presents. It took four of us just over an hour to wrap about thirty presents. A small thing, but the home, and the children, I'm sure felt blessed and were grateful for such a small effort on our part.

When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I try to remind myself of, and concentrate on, the things I can do, not what I think I should do. Why allow arrogance to enter the equation; the belief that I can solve any one of the world's problems?

I can help a friend, or a stranger in need.

I can volunteer.

I can write to inspire.

I can give money or necessary items to a local charity.

And best of all, I can listen.

If this world needs anything, it's for more people to listen. We don't have enough of that.