God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot

Host: The rain tapped lightly against the window, the sound a soft rhythm that filled the space, mixing with the quiet hum of the room. Jack sat in his usual spot by the window, his fingers wrapped around a half-empty cup of coffee. The dim light from the lamp cast long shadows, the evening settling into a stillness that was both peaceful and heavy. Jeeny stood across the room, her gaze fixed on the pages of a book, but her mind seemed elsewhere.

She closed the book with a soft snap and turned to Jack, her voice gentle, yet purposeful.

Jeeny: “I came across a prayer today—Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer. It goes like this: ‘God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.’ Do you believe in that? In knowing the difference between what we can change and what we can’t?”

Jack: (glances up, a thoughtful frown crossing his face) “It’s a good quote, but it's also kind of hard to wrap your head around, isn’t it? It’s not always so easy to tell what should be changed and what we should just accept. Sometimes, it feels like everything needs to be changed.”

Jeeny: (sitting down across from him, her voice steady but soft) “But that’s the thing, Jack. It’s about knowing when to act and when to let go. The wisdom to know the difference isn’t something you just wake up with—it’s something that comes with time, with experience. It’s the ability to look at a situation and say, ‘This is beyond my control,’ and find peace in accepting it, while also having the courage to confront the things that need to change.”

Host: The silence hung between them, punctuated only by the sound of the rain. Jeeny’s words seemed to linger in the air, heavy with meaning, while Jack’s expression softened as he let the weight of them settle in. The stillness of the room became a kind of space for reflection, as if the very atmosphere was holding its breath.

Jack: (after a long pause, his voice quieter) “But how do you know when to let go and when to push forward? I mean, how do you distinguish between something that’s truly beyond your control and something that just feels too hard to face?”

Jeeny: (her eyes fixed on him, searching for understanding) “I think it’s a matter of clarity, Jack. It’s about finding that stillness inside, even in the chaos. When something can’t be changed, it will eat you alive if you keep fighting it. But when you can change it, when you can make a difference, it’s worth every bit of effort. Sometimes, it’s about being honest with yourself about whether you’re fighting for the right reasons. Sometimes, it’s about listening to that inner voice that tells you when it’s time to accept what is, and when it’s time to act.”

Jack: (his eyes narrowing slightly, as if wrestling with the idea) “But it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to change everything. It’s like you’re constantly trying to fix things, even if they’re not broken. Or worse, you keep fighting the wrong battles.”

Jeeny: (nodding slowly, her voice calm) “Exactly. And that’s where the wisdom comes in. Knowing when to fight and when to let go isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes time, it takes experience. Sometimes, we spend so much energy trying to change things that aren’t meant to change, and we miss the opportunity to focus on the things that really matter. The things that need us to step in and make a difference.”

Host: The air in the room shifted, the tension between them giving way to something more reflective, more peaceful. Jack’s posture softened as he leaned back, the rain outside tapping a gentle reminder on the window. The storm had passed, and in the calm, there was a sense of quiet revelation.

Jack: (softly) “I think I’ve spent a lot of time trying to change things I couldn’t, instead of focusing on what I could do. It’s easier to get lost in what’s out of your control than to just… let go.”

Jeeny: (her smile warm, understanding) “It’s hard. I get it. But the wisdom isn’t just in knowing what to change—it’s also in having the courage to accept the things that are beyond our grasp. Sometimes, we hold on to things that aren’t ours to fix, and that only causes pain. It’s not about being passive; it’s about being intentional with your energy, with your efforts.”

Jack: (after a long pause, with a sigh) “I think I’ve been carrying some weight around that I don’t need to. Things I can’t change, things I can’t control. Maybe it’s time to put those down.”

Host: The room, once heavy with uncertainty, now felt lighter. The gentle sound of the rain was a soft backdrop to the realization unfolding between them. The clarity of Jeeny’s words, the reminder that not everything could be changed, yet everything could be approached with intention, hung in the air like a promise. Jack sat still, his mind now focused on the distinction between what he could control and what he needed to accept.

Jeeny: (quietly) “It’s a process, Jack. You don’t have to get it all right today. But just knowing the difference, even if it’s just a little bit at a time—that’s where the power lies.”

Jack: (smiling, the tension fading from his face) “I think I understand now. It’s about balance. Knowing when to act, when to accept. And when to just let things be.”

Host: The rain had stopped, and in the stillness that followed, the room felt filled with a quiet peace. Jack sat there, no longer weighed down by the burden of things he couldn’t change, but instead, with a soft understanding of the wisdom it took to let go. The night outside was still, but inside, there was a new sense of lightness—a sense that, for once, the balance between acceptance and action had been found.