Although I’m not going to do a quote of the week for our kitchen bulletin board this week as the kids are away and we are ramping up for our vacation and there will be no time to discuss it, I have had a “poem” running through my mind over the last few days…

“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”.

Just feeling a little overwhelmed, stressed and at my wit’s end. I think I always get like this before a vacation – when there is so much to do to tie things up at work and then get things prepped for leaving. We have also had guests in our house for the past 3 weeks now too and it has been a major heat wave here (with crazy humidity levels) which makes me feel lethargic. So I think I’ve thought of this poem a few times and it does give me touch of peace.

I have also thought of that Seinfeld episode of “Serenity Now” …so that really could also be my quote of the week (although I think the end result of that episode was “Serenity now, insanity later”).

But the Serenity Prayer is one that I remember seeing on my Grandmother’s (Nona – My Dad’s Mom) wall and reading it there. I also remember sometimes feeling like it was appropriate to be reading it there. We didn’t always have the best relationship with her. She called my brother “The boy”, I was “The girl” and my sister was “The baby”. Need I say more?

Well, actually,come to think of it,I will say more. She once gave my brother a radio/tape player/ghetto blaster for Chirstmas; my sister a beautiful doll (one of those fancy dressed up ones); and I got a pair of socks. Seriously.

When she was nearing her end of life, I went to visit her. She was very quiet while I sat by her bedside, wondering if she would finally break and impart some great piece of wisdom or have an emotional moment with me. She turned to me and said: “I always thought you had nice legs”. Ahh…hence why I got the socks. Thanks.

Despite some of these less than sweet memories, I do remember reading the “Serenity Prayer” for the first time at Nona’s and thinking it was beautiful. I have always loved it despite it’s popularity and overuse. It does pop into my mind when I am feeling frustrated and stressed, and reminds me that there are some things I just can’t change (that’s the part I always have a hard time with) so I should just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Thanks for the poem Nona. And yes, my legs are fabulous.