Thursday, September 9, 2010

Serenity

My SIL struggles with Anxiety...it runs in the family.  Earlier today, when I read her post on Daily Dose of Davis, it screamed at me like a Banshee...

So I told her that I would help verse her a little on my theory...maybe it might help????

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.

When I was a kid, my mom made us learn this.  Well, I don't think she knew what she was doing exactly.  She was married to my step-dad, who was an Alcoholic.  Now I dearly loved my step-dad, don't get me wrong.  But even thru that hardship, something good did come out of it.  Doesn't it always??  We went to Ala Teen.  This is the first thing they teach you, The Serenity Prayer.

If you REALLY read it, it can flow over to everything in your life.  I used to agonize over every-little-thing.  From work, household issues like hanging my pictures perfectly symmetrical or making list after list of things that needed to be done.  I think I had lists of other lists that I needed to make.

Let me tell you - it took years to break the ferocious crazy in my life.  I had alot of help from friends who laughed at me, friends who coached me and oh, friends who laughed at me.  Now, my family and friends would say I am fairly easy going.  At times, I have been accused of having a "Don't give a $hit attitude" even.  But it ISN'T that.  I choose my battles and try to win the war.  I let go...I believe God will never take me to a place He can not keep me.  Period.

And alternatively, when I am frustrated beyond belief and I simply want to throw in the towel or use it to strangle the world...I lean on what I inherited from my Dad's side of the family....HUMOR.  Yeah, I've been known to hide behind it and a become a Smart A$$ even...it saves me too.

So, Jen...in case you never studied this one either, here goes:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I cannot accept,
And the wisdom to hide the bodies of those people
I had to kill today because they pissed me off.
And also, help me to be careful of the toes I step on today
As they may be connected to the ass that I have to kiss tomorrow.


Help me to always give 100% at work... 12% on Monday, 23% on Tuesday,
40% on Wednesday, 20% on Thursday, and 5% on Friday.
And help me to remember...
When I'm having a really bad day,
And it seems that people are trying to piss me off,
That it takes 42 muscles to frown
And only 4 to extend my middle finger and tell them to bite me.
 

8 comments:

  1. I hate to say this but I just got into a screaming match with a stranger today. He called me bad words, I just yelled loud. But that last part of the prayer made me really laugh and realize I need to find a place to 'hide the bodies".Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love it! I must remember this as well. I was the "carrier" of the anxiety gene and passed it on to Jen! :-( Ooops!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jane, now see that is where I woulda just hauled off and punched'em for sure! So what we are saying here is we should let you start'em and I'll finish'em? I can Deal!

    Jan, Bad Mommy Bad! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Di...this is exactly why I love you. You always know just what to say to make me laugh, cry, and then laugh again. You are the best. And I will recite these prayers to myself from now on and hopefully one day, we can ride in our spirit canoes together (if you don't know what I am talking about, ask mom on your drive tomorrow :-). Love you sis!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love my spirit canoe. Di, I will explain this weekend! Awesome!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Spirit canoe??? You people are craaaaazy!

    I like this post... both the serious and funny parts. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hysterical! Thanks for the laugh. BTW...got my food processor today from CSN. Going to make me some baby food. Well, not for me, but you know! :o) Thanks again! Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yeah, I've got to do something to reduce stress. In thinking about it, I realize I'M the one creating my stress. But then I think of all the things I really have to stress about. So that's why I can't help but stress. However, I can control it, right? I'm going now to draw a bull's eye on the brick wall behind the wood stove where I can bang my head.

    P.S. Thanks for a great post. It did me good.

    ReplyDelete