A New Year’s Resolution
Life’s storms can teach us that only we can be our anchor amidst the violence of the strong winds that buffet us about. Resilience is the ability to surf those waves that frighten us with their uncertainty. It is also about having the wisdom to know when taking action is necessary to change our circumstances for the better. The first few lines of the Serenity Prayer remind us that knowing when to let go of those things beyond our control, when to act with courage, and understanding the wisdom between the two of these.
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.
Most of us who make a New Year’s resolution decide to this year will be the time that they lose that weight, or find a better job. I am making a different resolution this year that I hope will benefit me the rest of my life. My resolution is to live as best I can the first four lines of the Serenity Prayer. I choose peace by letting go and accepting those things I cannot control, and take responsibility for empowering myself to have the courage to face those things that I know that I must change to have a happier, healthier and more abundant life.
It’s a lengthy story how I reached the place to where making this choice to change my perspective came about. It started back in July 2010 when I lost my grandmother to lung cancer. Since this time I have seen my uncle die of the same disease and my father is now fighting lung cancer. My husband, a few weeks ago, was laid off from his job when I was 11 weeks pregnant. Events, such as these, are things that I can only choose how I react towards, and what my perspective will be on them.
In 2012, I made changes in how I care for my health, and a commitment to continue to work towards my own recovery. This year promises to bring many changes to my life through the imminent change of becoming a mother. Even in the three months I have been pregnant my perspective on what I value in life has changed dramatically. I learned this year that happiness, freedom and peace can only come from within me. As Kelly Clarkson sings in “Catch my Breath,” I will no longer be spending my time catching my breath as there is so much more to the richness that is life.
Amanda
Drop in the Ocean 