Serenity Now

A long time ago (it's not quite to "once upon a time," but I feel myself getting there), I worked at a drug and alcohol treatment center in Utah. It was quite the experience. Though I was only minoring in psychology, my friends gave me a chance to work with them in this environment of constant drug tests, leading "group," driving white county vans to methadone treatment for the heroine addicts, fetching food from the attached county jail and hoping there would be an extra tray of food for a free lunch as well as the lovely experience of patting new admissions down for drugs and going through their belongings (food, clothing, meds, drinks, trash, etc. all mixed up in the luggage or most frequently a big black plastic bag).

It was meaningful, funny, sad, enlightening and tragic all wrapped into a little building on the side of the mountain.

While people were in the treatment center, they had to start working on the first three steps in the 12 step Alcoholics Anonymous. Here are the steps - http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/smf-121_en.pdf

Though I have a hard time remembering the steps, I do remember the first part of the serenity prayer and find myself repeating it often. I'll admit to saying "serenity now!" in a somewhat joking manner when difficult situations come up and thus the appreciation for the Seinfeld video inserted in this post.

It doesn't matter whether you are a recovering addict or not, it is still a wonderfully simple prayer. I love the first four lines.

Here it goes:

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships 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.

Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

P.S. I got a little coin when I left the treatment center. The first part of the prayer was engraved on one side of the coin. I still have that special coin.