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Seven Days and Counting

 Earth Day: October 26, 2020

 

An American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr composed the following prayer in 1932. “Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know one from the other.”

If it sounds familiar, it’s because several versions of this prayer spread quicky, most famously in song lyrics and poetry, and in 1955, Alcoholics Anonymous adopted the following: “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.”

I prefer the original sentiment. “Father, give us courage to change what must be altered. . .”

Courage always comes before acceptance, courage to acknowledge and accept, to face and admit, that things have to change.

“[S]erenity to accept what cannot be helped. . .”

Only after ALL has been done, then can one accept the consequences of the outcome.

“[A]nd the insight to know the one from the other.”

This will be my downfall because I do not define “serenity” with surrender. I never have. It’s just down time while I dust myself off, gear myself with new courage, and find another solution to attack the problem.

I fight to the end.

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