Did You Get Any Change? revised

God Grant Me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Change

The Courage to Change the Things I Can

And the Wisdom to Know the Difference

This little prayer is a part of the opening of the myriad of Twelve Step Meetings around the world.

Change is   used twice in this prayer. Once it is described as something that can be controlled and once it is described as something that cannot be controlled.  So  what is with that?  What kind of concept is it that   it is both controllable
and uncontrollable ?  
We worry about things that might change.  We worry about things that have not  changed.  We lament and yearn for the things that do change. 

What really never changes is that we worry that nothing will change.   In effect, we worry that the most  absolute certainty that exists wouldn't happen.

We sometimes don't want things to ever change..and as surely as we change our socks (hopefully and in a timely matter) things  will change. We lose sleep, money, our health, and general well being because of change or the lack thereof. 

 Friendships, business partnerships, and relationships are all developed with some sort of preconceived notion by all involved that something will change...or, conversely, something will never change. It is when that unmentioned expectation is not met that people  start to worry and wring their hands .  It is when this 'change of contract' occurs, people  begin trying to control and manipulate change in their friends, families, and place of employment causing consternation, hurt feelings, and all around chaos.

Change cannot be pushed,  pulled, pressured or pleaded with. It comes on its own timetable, with its own agenda, with its own life lesson purpose , and is as natural and as necessary  to the well being of the world as the air we breathe. 


No wonder we who fret, pace,  and  wail at circumstance 'beyond our control' often look haggard and weary compared to those  who take things as they come,  who are accepting of others, and look forward to  seeing what the next day will bring.


Because  one   thing that we can change is ourselves,  I think it is time I change  into someone that will make everyone more comfortable.