What is the old AA chant?
You know, the philosophy on which the program is based.
Hold on now I must look it up……. God Bless Wikipedia!
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
So it is a mantra (A commonly repeated word or phrase, or a sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer or meditation). It is titled the “Serenity Prayer.” This prayer is used in AA as a way of reminding members that they really have no control over their universe, only over themselves and their own actions and thoughts, their own reactions to thoughts.
So what? I say all this as a precursor to my topic. The topic being that I need to accept the things that happen around me (at home, at work, driving my car) that I can not change.
I speak of a specific issue where the actions of someone else are irritating me to a boiling point.
This is effecting my disposition. I need to rise above. I know this wise person who exists in The Hub with me and they are very Zen. I wish I could figure out how to get to that state within myself. The place where I see something I don’t like but I am capable of accepting that I can not change it.
In my logical mind, I accept that I am powerless over this world and all the things that are going to happen in it. I just can’t seem to convince my fighter mind that the logical side is right and that my fighter should shut up and listen to it. (You know how touchy fighters can be;)
So no, I am not an AA member and I have never had a personal problem with alcohol but I am slightly control freak based. I try real hard to keep my own little insignificant world running smooth and sitting right upon its axis. I just need to accept that I can only keep things controlled to such a point and then it is in the hands of God.
Accept the things I can’t change! It will help life in my world be brighter! God will work out the kinks!
KA POW! BOOM BOOM! …take that fighter side!
I couldn’t have stumbled upon this post at a more apropro time. I’m so ANGRY right now over things I can’t control, that I’m literally boiling.
And I can’t sleep because of it. And tomorrow I’ll be a horrible mom because I have no sleep.
And then tmrw night I’ll think about things, get angry, and then not be able to sleep… ’round and ’round.
I’m not even angry about my situation, anything to do with Son or his dad. It’s more work/friend related stuff. God grant me the serenity…
*Hugs* to you both…
SWM – I totally get the round and round analogy because this is how it seems to work. Like I am a dog chasing my own tail. It is the control issue rearing it’s ugly head. Mine is not home life related, but I do always get the sense that, that plays in because I never planned to have these other issues on top of parenting. So in my mind I try to not go to the “this is not what I had planned” place but on occasion it happens!