Reflection

God grant me the serenity

To

Several weeks ago, I was in a meeting where one of the participants referenced the well-known Serenity Prayer. It was offered as a message of hope for those present, talking through the pros and cons of a complex and potentially stressful situation. Since that meeting, I have been thinking about the way in which these brief comments provide inspiration and a focus for persistence and perspective.

The Serenity Prayer is a prayer that asks God to grant acceptance, courage, and wisdom for things in our life we can't control. It is one of the most well-known prayers in circulation today, especially the shortened version.

It was written by Reinhold Neibuhr, an American Theologian in the 1930s, and has been printed, typed, texted, stitched, and written countless times to and from millions of people. I doubt there is a more popular fridge magnet or Facebook meme. In the early 1940s, the self-help group Alcoholics Anonymous, began to use the prayer in their twelve-step program, and it’s easy to see why. Change is hard, frustrating, and tiring, so being encouraged to refocus our energy on that which we can control does provide a sense of mastery and competence. Wisdom is the key to helping us discern whether we can influence the changes that surrounds us, or whether the change has to come from within us, by way of acceptance and openness.

This prayer is a reminder of the inevitability of change and the fact that much of the change that happens in our lives is beyond our control or influence. It reminds me of the work of Stephen Covey, author of the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He talks about each of us having a Circle of Concern - things we care about but can’t control, and a Circle of Influence - things we care about and can impact. Knowing where to focus our energy is the key to adapting to change and having less stress and anxiety in our lives.

Healthcare is a dynamic environment to work in at the moment with many challenges, changes, and opportunities. May this prayer continue to speak to us of the gentle hope that is ours when we accept what is before us as opportunity. May it remind us of the courage that lies within each of us to grow and adapt, and whisper deep wisdom to discern how and if we can influence or control that which surrounds us. And may serenity and peace always be our companion and guide.

Jenni Ashton