Our lives have been hit with a series of unfortunate events in the last couple of day and I’ve been really tempted to respond by curling up in my recliner and watching stupid TV while eating junk food.

But what would that solve?

I’d feel miserable and angry with myself and the problems would still be there.

So, I’m just feeling miserable and wanting a cupcake really, really badly.

That’s part of life, right?  Not a good part, but definitely part of the experience.  It’s not all good…and we don’t have control and we can’t fix everything and sometimes there are no answers.

Mostly it’s just time.  Waiting for decisions, resolutions, answers, change…whatever has to happen for unfortunate events to move from the present into history.

We can’t magically fix some stuff.  We just have to endure it, live through it, survive it…

We don’t have control…and for that reason, The Serenity Prayer has been running through my head today:

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.  Amen

Growing up with a recovering alcoholic and attending weekly A.A. meetings does have one small advantage…

I don’t have serenity, but I do have some control.  I can choose how to react to the situation.

I’m going to eat one cupcake, but not all of them.

I’m going to make lots and lots of handmade paper because it is the ultimate busywork and it accomplishes something.

And I’m going to pray…although most days lately I’m not sure that I believe that it helps. But it just might.

I don’t expect a perfect life, but I am kind of tired of unfortunate events  I know that I shouldn’t complain.  Relatively speaking, things could be much worse and are for so many.

I am grateful for the blessings in my life.

I know that everything will work itself in time.

But right now, I could sure use a little bit of that serenity that I’m praying for…

Peace.