I was tutoring this week at a treatment center for teenagers in drug rehab. The boy I was working with (16) was struggling with his math. His teacher told him to do the odd problems in his book. He didn't know what that meant. While we were working through the assignment together, I reflected on the choices he has made that have led him to this point in his life. I felt love and sadness for him. The reality is, all of us are working through our own hard things. I noticed this poem on the wall. I have seen the beginning of it before, but never the whole thing. A few weeks ago my mom gave me a bracelet with the first few lines of this prayer. There is an important message in it for me. Perhaps there is one for you too.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time, accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this world as it is,
Not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to his will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with him, forever, in the next.
1926 Reinhold Neibuhr
5 comments:
Thanks for sharing that. I had never heard the end of it either. There is a lot of wisdom there.
You're a smartie Lisa, I love you and really like it when you have serenity! Thanks for coming to dinner.
Mom
I know another teacher who taught full time in a youth correctional facility; he really loved it. He told me that there were lots of capable kids who just made dumb choices. It's too bad that teenagers have such trouble seeing down the road a ways.
How does one bump into a tutor job like that? Maybe I'd like it too.
Very enlightening...I've only heard the beginning and thought that that's all there was! I really like it.What a fun tutoring/volunteering opportunity.
Have a wonderful time in Fiji. It sounds as though you have had several stressful things happening in your life. It's nice that you can have some down time to rest and rejuvenate in a place special to you.
I'll miss you and look forward to your return.
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