The Wisdom to Know the Difference

Book excerpt: This wise book guides readers in discovering what they can—and should—change in their lives, accepting what they cannot, and discovering “the wisdom to know the difference.” Thousands of people have been moved by the famous last lines of the Serenity Prayer: God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. But how exactly can we know the difference? How can we acknowledge our true limits without negating the possibility for dramatic change? In this inspiring book, Eileen Flanagan draws on her own Quaker faith as well as a range of other religious and spiritual traditions to show readers how they can learn to listen to their own inner voice in determining when a change is needed in their lives or when instead acceptance is the answer. These lessons come to life through the inspiring stories of various individuals, including: · the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who talks about the power of forgiveness and her work to end the war; · A Katrina survivor who describes how she learned inner peace the hard way; · a family therapist who shares what he learned about accepting the things he cannot change from the car accident that left him paralyzed. This illuminating book leads readers to discover the serenity that comes when one has gained “the wisdom to know the difference.”