I have a small flower garden:  a few roses interspersed with annuals like vinca.  In the twenty years we have been in Florida I have enjoyed puttering in this little space.  It’s peaceful and relaxing.  Today I was focused on the weeds that sprout with such vigor.  Pulling them out would be a short and satisfying task.   I tried.  Unfortunately, my body refused to cooperate.  I came back into the house frustrated and fuming.

We all have things we can do and things we can’t.  What hurts is when the things we can and love to do get moved into the “cannot” category. I know most of you know this all too well. We understand that this is a natural aging process, but that doesn’t mean we like it.  Or could it?

Accepting what you can’t change doesn’t mean you’re stuck and doomed to misery. You may not be able to change the situation, but you can change how you think, feel, and behave. Accepting that many things are out of your control, isn’t giving up or giving in. It’s not weak or passive. If You Want To Be Happy, Accept Life As It Is And Let Go Of What You Cannot Control.  OK, I copied those wise words of wisdom from someone wiser than I.  And, from the well-known 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.”

I admit, the ability to pull a few weeds is a lame example.  But fuming about it didn’t help me at all.  So, I wrote out my frustrations in a blog.  Hopefully you can identify in some way, thinking about things you can no longer do, and even better, thinking about the things you can still do. 

Together we can look for the serenity that comes from accepting the life that God has given us.  In his unconditional love, he does look after us and do what is best.

Judy

Perhaps you’ll enjoy this version of the Serenity Prayer