Serenity Prayer In Hawaiian

Reflections in Verse and Prose: Applying the Serenity Prayer to ...

God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

These words may appear simple, yet they carry a powerful message to everyone, regardless of their race, occupation, life situations, etc. But what exactly do these words mean and how do we act on them? there are 5 key words: Serenity, Acceptance, Courage, Change and Wisdom. Even if you don’t believe in God or a higher power, this prayer used as a mantra can be helpful. When we look at the word serenity, it helps us understand the intent and the tone of this prayer. The word serenity is defined as: “Peace; the absence of mental stress or anxiety; quiet; peace of mind; tranquility; a disposition free from stress or emotion.” This prayer’s intention is about looking for peace and calm in the midst of emotional trouble. As you use this prayer in your own life, be in tune with what you are asking to be “granted”. You are asking for a calmer spirit. After asking for peace (serenity), we then are asking to understand, or to regard/receive as true and sound the things we cannot change. This means we acknowledge there are some things, people & choices that are out of our control, and that we accept these things. We seek undertanding of our personal limitations without adverse/negative reaction. We admit, “Hey this is normal & usual that I cannot change all things, & the same applies to everyone else”. We have to evaluate and recognize, “I cannot make my spouse quit smoking cigarettes”, or “I cannot make other drivers more friendly on the roads”, or “I cannot make my parent give me the approval I am wanting from them”. We realize if we continue we will drive ourselves crazy (adverse reaction). Some people can identify what needs to be done. However, having the courage to do it can be quite difficult. It takes guts to make changes when it’s going to ruffle feathers, leave a destructive relationship, quit an addiction, or turn your life upside down. There is fear involved and it takes bravery. However, having the courage to actually do something about the problem will create change. Hopefully, that will create more serenity. Discernment is about learning to separate truth from lies, illusion from reality, fantasy from facts. It is about recognizing the difference between a person that can be trusted and one who will betray you. Practicing discernment is necessary to learn to trust ourselves and love ourselves. It is necessary to be able to live life in a mature adult manner. Having the widsom of what we can and cannot change is a key part of feeling serenity and being at peace. When we try and change things out of our control (like other people), we definitely can’t have serenity… and it usually brings us the exact opposite of what we are hoping for. Have you ever had someone try and control or change something about you? How did you feel when that person tried to change you? How did you respond to their attempts at trying to control or change you? This usually doesn’t feel very good to be on the receiving end of. Our healthiest relationships are where we don’t try to control or change the other person, but instead, share with them how we are feeling and what we are needing, and decide for ourselves what WE can change about ourselves to make the situation better. Even then, it’s up to the other person to decide whether or not it is something they are willing to change and it’s up to us to decide what we are willing to do differently. On the flip side, have you ever tried to change something or someone that didn’t want to change? How did it feel when you were trying to “make” them or the situation change? Usually, this feels exhausting and frustrating– and it rarely works. If the person or situation changes, it isn’t authentic– it’s coerced. The other person ends up feeling manipulated and pushed into making changes, which hardly ever results in long term change. At the end of the day, the only thing we can truly change is ourselves– whether that means changing our reactions to others, changing how much power we give them over us, changing our boundaries with others and what we allow from them, or changing our own situation somehow. Having the wisdom to know the difference means feeling empowered and taking responsibility for own lives and happiness. This gift is precious, and it's one that we can enjoy for a lifetime.

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