Many people are familiar with 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.”
The Serenity Prayer is attributed to American theologian Reinhold Neibuhr, who used it in his sermons as early as 1934. It is widely known from its use in the meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous & other 12 step group meetings.
Interestingly, it is not of Christian origin:
“And they said: At the head of all understanding – is realizing what is and what cannot be, and the consoling of what is not in our power to change”
That quote is from Solomon ibn Gabirol, an 11th century Jewish philosopher.
“If there is a remedy when trouble strikes, what reason is there for dejection? And if there is no help for it, what use is there in being glum?”
That quote (oddly translated) is from Shantideva, an 8th century Buddhist scholar.
“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us.
Our opinions are upt o us, and our impulses,desires,aversions – in short, whatever is our own doing.
Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possessions,our reputations, or our public offices, or, that is whatever is not our own doing.”
That quote is from Epictetus, a 1st century Stoic philosopher. It is at the beginning of his book the Enchiridion ( “Handbook”).
This is gold, thank you for sharing. Funnily enough when I took peyote in Mexico under the guidance of a Shaman, I came in contact with a higher entity which told me the exact same thing. Its quite amusing how spirituality is interconnected and interwoven into the writtings of philosophers and theologians accross the milenia and then you trip your ass off in a Mexican desert and you have the very same realization.