We are able to paint whatever picture we want on it. And when we make a mistake, we can paint over it as if the first paint was never there. I often see my life like this and feel that if I allow Big G (aka God, Great Spirit, Buddha, Yahweh, Great Creator) to guide my hand while painting, the picture can be nothing short of breathtakingly beautiful.
My problems arise when I take control of the paintbrush, meaning taking control of my life. I run on self-will rather than the will of the Universe. The age-old prayer….the Serenity prayer, is one of my favorites that I recite daily……sometimes more than once! I’d like to break that prayer down, line by line and reflect on its meaning to me.
God, grant me the Serenity, to accept the things I cannot change…………. Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. Pure and simple. I am praying to accept life on life’s terms…..accept people, circumstances, events, as they are right now. Not how I wish they could be and not how they were, but how they are RIGHT NOW. You see, if I can accept people as they are, and situations as they are, then I am at peace. Always thinking I could control anything and everyone. “You are the master of your own fate,” my father used to tell me. Well, I believe that to a point. I am the master of my own THOUGHTS, and what I THINK about I BRING about.
The Courage to change the things I can………this, my friends, is my most difficult challenge of this year. Courage to change – moving away from and out of the familiar into the unknown. Knowing that what has worked for me in the past, isn’t working anymore and I need to change. Realizing that certain people who were in my life in the past, do not belong in my life now…..that’s not to say they won’t return in the future…..but for right now today, I need to separate myself from them. That my old habits need to go…..the way I treated people, my focus in my job, my purpose, my daily activities even….not where Big G wants me to be……He reveals more to me every day in many ways. I need to heed the Word and ask for the Courage to change what I used to be into what He wants me to be. And I believe with my whole heart and soul that we are ALL meant to be GREAT! Kind, loving, compassionate and successful people is who my God wants us all to be. That, my friends, takes great Courage.
The wisdom to know the difference is where I struggled most in the past. In the past, I always thought I could change anyone and anything (never thinking, of course, that I was the one that needed changing). Now, I know differently. I know for a fact that there is very little I control in this life……and most of what I control is ME! My thoughts, words, actions, attitude…..only I control those aspects of my life. I do not control other people….situations….events….how other people see me or what they do……..all of that is out of my control. What a relief! It’s a great responsibility to be in control…and a lot of stress and pressure. One false move and great damage and consequences can result. However, I need to be careful not to use this attitude as an escape from my responsibility and obligation to change myself and change what I can change. Resting on my laurels when there’s work to be done, within me and outside in the world, is a great disservice and borders on being dishonest.
I believe each and every one of us has a common purpose…..to be of service to all living things in this world…in whatever form that takes. It could be as simple as holding the door open at Dunkin Donuts or it could be starting a soup kitchen in an under served area or volunteering at the local animal shelter. Whatever your passion, your calling, you can do something each and every day to be of service to another living creature. I see Big G in EVERYTHING…..whether it be the glorious sunrise, the mourning doves that visit me at my feeder, the beautiful pine trees along the road or in my acquaintances who gossip about me……He resides in all these things and thus my purpose is to be of service to them all in some way.
Do one thing today to further your purpose……..and try not to brag about it!!!!!!!
Be well and be transformed!
Maria Moffa
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