Serenity Prayer Analyzed

From AA NA Recovery Zone:

"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!

Just what are we really saying when we say this prayer?
Well let's break it down.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GOD
SAYING THIS WORD I AM ADMITTING THE EXISTENCE OF A CONSCIOUSNESS OR? OF? A HIGHER POWER THAT IS GREATER
THAN I.

GRANT
SAYING THIS SECOND WORD, I AM ADMITTING THAT THIS CONSCIOUSNESS OR HIGHER POWER IS ABLE TO BESTOW AND GIVE TO ME AND TO OTHERS.

ME THE
I AM ASKING SOMETHING FOR MYSELF. HOLY BOOKS SAY THAT IF I ASK SINCERELY, IT SHALL BE GIVEN. IT IS NOT WRONG TO ASK FOR IMPROVING MYSELF. FOR WITH THE IMPROVEMENT OF MY CHARACTER, BOTH I AND PEOPLE AROUND ME WILL BE HAPPIER, AND MY RELATIONSHIPS WILL HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO IMPROVE.

SERENITY
I AM ASKING FOR CALMNESS, COMPOSURE AND INNER PEACE IN MY LIFE WHICH WILL ENABLE ME TO TRANSCEND MY EGO, TO THINK STRAIGHT AND TO GOVERN MYSELF PROPERLY.

TO ACCEPT
I AM RESIGNING MYSELF TO CONDITIONS AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. I AM LIVING IN THE NOW, THE PRESENT MOMENT.

THE THINGS
I ACKNOWLEDGE MY TRAGEDY, DEATH, SUFFERING, ILLNESS AND PAIN, AS A PART OF MY LIFE, NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD. I ACCEPT MY HUMANNESS AND FALLIBILITY. I AM ACCEPTING MY LOT IN LIFE AS IT IS. UNTIL I HAVE THE COURAGE TO CHANGE ANY PART OF MY LIFE I DON'T LIKE, I MUST ACCEPT IT, WITHOUT DOING SO GRUDGINGLY.

I CANNOT CHANGE...
I CAN'T PREVENT THESE EVENTS OR CONDITIONS FROM HAPPENING TO ME OR TO OTHERS.

COURAGE
A QUALITY WHICH ENABLES ME TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS AND REALITIES OF LIFE WITHOUT RELIANCE ON ALCOHOL OR DRUGS. A DETERMINATION TO STAND MY GROUND AND "SLUG IT OUT" WITH ALL ISSUES, PLEASANT OR OTHERWISE, THAT MIGHT RETURN ME TO DRINKING OR USING. A STRENGTH OF MY SPIRIT TO FACE AND HANDLE THE NEGATIVE. FEARLESSNESS IN THE PRACTICE OF FAITH, HUMILITY AND HONESTY.

TO CHANGE
IN FACING THESE NEGATIVES DIRECTLY AND HONESTLY, I AM ASKING FOR MYSELF AND MY LIFE CONDITIONS TO BE DIFFERENT FOR ME. I AM TAKING AN ACTIVE PART IN THIS CHANGING.

THE THINGS I CAN
I AM ASKING FOR HELP TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. EVERYTHING IS NOT THE WAY I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE IN MY LIFE. I MUST CONTINUE TO FACE REALITY AND CONSTANTLY WORK TOWARD MY CONTINUED GROWTH AND PROGRESS.

AND WISDOM
I AM ASKING FOR THE ABILITY TO RISE ABOVE MY EGO AND FORM SOUND JUDGMENTS ABOUT MYSELF AND MY LIFE. I THEN USE MY ABILITY TO ASK FOR GUIDANCE FROM MYSELF, OTHERS AND A HIGHER POWER.

TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE...
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY TRUTHS OF FACT. I WANT TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY IN MY LIFE SO THAT I WILL BE MORE AWARE OF MYSELF AND OF OTHERS. I NEED TO SENSE A DEFINITE VALUE IN LOVING OVER BEING SELFISH.

From: "Alcoholism & Spirituality"
by Charles Whitfield"