A Twist on the Serenity Prayer
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.
A combination of events made me think of this today... because here are the things I would like to change, in case anyone in charge is listening:
NUMBER ONE. Animals and vehicles will never collide. Along those lines, animals will never, ever find their way onto or be trapped on freeways.
NUMBER TWO. All babies will be born healthy and free of physical challenges, with bright outlooks for health and happiness. No child shall incur physical/emotional/mental disability or hardship of any kind. Upon reaching age 18, all humanity will be subject to reaping what they sow... from that point forward.
In other words, you get a free ticket for your childhood. Kids just get to be kids. Hardships and/or differences will be doled out to people when they reach an age of reason....if something bad happens to you, it's because you earned it through your behavior and decision-making. Differences will no longer be labeled "sporadic events".
Here's the full version of the prayer, found on 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.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship 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 reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
I can't even begin to explain how many problems I have with this. Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace? Trusting that he will make all things right. Reasonably happy now and supremely happy in the next...?
Whatever. Maybe if I got some answers to my questions. MAYBE if someone would just implement items one and two as listed above... then we can talk. That's just the kind of mood I'm in today.
Disclaimer about differences being a natural part of life is not going to be included.
6/22 addendum:
The freeway I take into work will now be known as "the freeway of death", as a very small, very dead fawn was askew on the inside shoulder this morning.
2 comments:
I'm sorry you had a crummy day. Sounds like it was downright awful. Your writing brought tears to my eyes. I wish I was in charge and I could arrange Nos. 1 and 2.
But I'm glad I didn't get what I deserved at age 18. If life were fair I would have been blasted when I reached the age of reason. In fact I still would be getting blasted.
This is my favorite version of the "serenity prayer".
ANTHEM by Leonard Cohen
The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government --
signs for all to see.
I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That is defintely superior to the serenity prayer.
Post a Comment