The Wisdom

As a part of each day, I start with the “Serenity Prayer” to get a focus for the day. This has become an ingrained daily habit, but as can happen, sometimes we don’t pay attention to things we do so frequently.
Today, from Hazelden, I received a great reminder, and it was getting the right message at the right time. While the “Serenity Prayer” is a part of all 12 step meetings I’ve attended, it is applicable to all.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
--The Serenity Prayer

One of life's paradoxes is that in order to change an unwanted situation, we must first accept it the way it is. If you wish to move forward in your life, first make peace with what you are presently experiencing.

Recently, life has not gone as I had envisioned. I think we all hit periods where it seems that anything that could go wrong does. Throw in to the mix the constant doom and gloom we are being fed about the economy (and I do know it is real), and it can be easy to get down.
Each day I ask for “the wisdom to know the difference”.
That wisdom has been free given, it is up to me to recognize it and use it.
Over the past little while we have had problems with a house we are building, problems with a bank who did not do their job, problems with uncommunicative children and other issues. Of course there is the ongoing saga of trying to start a new business. In this area, I can be the prince of optimism and set myself up.
On a daily basis I have to accept that there are many issues outside of my control, and I have to be wise enough to deal with the ones I can control. Differentiating between them is no a perfect science and I do ask for and take help.
Today, I will work hard at accepting some of the unwanted things in my life. I will look at what I can control, and with guidance deal with the issues that are mine to control. If I want to move forward, there are realities I must accept!