The Serenity Prayer:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, change the things can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
God Grant me serenity and wisdom.
10 things I cannot change:

1. I cannot change my age. I did not create the ageist attitudes that afflict this culture but I can change the way I respond to them. I don’t have to believe that growing older is a tragic personal failure.

2. I cannot change the political choices made by my countrymen. But I don’t have to be silent when I believe those choices are destructive and wrong. I can work with other people to enact a political agenda that is more consistent with my beliefs.

3. I cannot change the history of slavery in the United States. But I can change the present. I will be alert to the emergence of new forms of slavery and do my best to resist them.
4. I cannot change racism but I don’t have to silently agree to pretend that it doesn’t exist or that it is justified.
5. I cannot change the homophobia of other people but as a gay man I can work to become the best person I can be as a way to counteract it in myself.
6. I cannot change homelessness but I can resist blaming the victims. I can use my intellect and my skills as an artist and writer to state and restate my profound conviction that homelessness is a crime against humanity.
7. I cannot change the stigma against people with psychiatric illnesses but I don’t have to allow it to define or limit me.
8. I cannot change the cruelty of my past or the betrayal of my trust as a child. But I can change my present and my future; I do not have to tolerate or accept destructive people who betray my trust.
9. I cannot change the mistakes I made in ignorance; but I can accept responsibility for the pain I’ve caused and humbly and without expectations offer my apologies.
10. I cannot change that I dissociate and have episodes of depression. But I don’t have to accept the lie that these problems are the result of personal failure or weakness. I can see that it takes strength and resilience to survive and thrive in this world, and that I have plenty of both.
RG (c) 2015 All Rights Reserved
All images (c) Rob Goldstein 2015 All Rights Reserved
Graffiti art photographed in San Francisco by Rob Goldstein
Bravo. Love this post.
LikeLike
I was in Vienna over the weekend and of course, I saw many homeless people. It was heartbreaking to realize that I cannot give them all something. There are simply too many. Also seeing how they are suffering from simply being homeless regardless of the health struggles they face. Really heartbreaking!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s why we need government Erika. We can’t solve these problems alone.
Let’s say you gave ten dollars a week in small change to different people.
That’s $520 a year.
Imagine pooling that money with the money of billions of other people who contribute more or less to the pool based on income.
Now you have billions of dollars.
When properly used the Government is way for people to address social problems that no one can solve alone.
The dirty secret of our times is that Roosevelt’s New Deal worked. The evidence is in the archives.
It is demoralizing to contemplate solving homelessness as individuals.
We can’t.
We must make use our government to solve these problems. We know how to do this in the United States.
All we have to do is study our history.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is so very true! We would know how and we all know that the problem can be solved actually easily!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rob, many thanks for sharing this. My boss sent me the Serenity Prayer, as often I would put on my Don Quixote armor and chase a windmill. Sometimes, just sometimes, you have to try for the sake of trying, knowing your efforts will be futile. But, sometimes, just sometimes, you can make a little difference. I appreciate greatly how you phrased your version. Keith
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Keith! We’re not always tilting at windmills. There are some real dragons out there!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is so powerful. I went through a lot of feeling helpless as our country caught a blaze. I felt so sick about it that I could even get up. But I got up because there are things I can do and I should focus on that. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes the best thing that we can do is make sure our corner is safe and welcoming to others who need to get out of the blaze.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed. Great post. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
On target!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, friend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re most welcome!! 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now that’s what I’m talking about! I love this! You presented some very thought provoking proclamations here my friend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the Serenity Prayer – and your response to it
)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on sherriemiranda1 and commented:
Wow, Rob, I can’t believe how much we think alike! Is it because of our “Artist’s Mindset”? Or could I actually believe beyond Hope that the majority of the people in the world have a similar belief system?!
I will choose the latter, in the hope that we really can all “learn to get along.”
Thank you so much for this amazing post! 😉 ❤
Peace, love & equality for all,
Sherrie
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that most people really are decent–otherwise the history of the world would be even more depressing than it already is. 🙂
LikeLike
So well-written and powerful. You’re inspirational.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thirty years of therapy can be kind of enlightening…:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, yeah, I bet 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
More precisely five years…it just feels like thirty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve had more than 5, but most of it was in childhood, so I’m not able to directly assess how much it helped.
How different your childhood would have been with good therapy…Ah well, no ifs, only realities ❤ You’re brilliant.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would have been completely different if someone from my Mother’s family had stepped in..but that’s not what happened…and somehow I found what I needed to survive and ultimately to thrive…and I suppose that’s all that’s important. But there will always be a hole in my life where there should have been a Mother.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love & compassion is always the only answer. For ourselves and everyone, regardless. Powerful and heartfelt post.
LikeLike
That was brilliant, Robert. I love the way you think. Bravo !! 💕
LikeLike
Thank you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an amazing post you have summed up what I feel about a lot of issues. Thanks for sharing it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, It’s validating to know that you aren’t alone with these feelings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like this. Very inspiring.
For the truth were hidden well of which people feared to speak out about it in public.
Thank you for sharing this!
LikeLike
Thank you reading the post and leaving a comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome, Robert! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow Robert- this is fantastic! You are so amazing and deep and profound. You’re inspiring Robert- thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You do pretty well in the deep and profound department yourself. I always feel energized by your comments…thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is so nice Robert! Thank you :)) now I am feeling energized too! Happy Monday wonderful friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just thought I come to say hello
It’s been a while
How goes it
As always Sheldon
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m good, Sheldon. Thank you. I’m writing again so that feels good. 🙂
LikeLike
Very wise words. Thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are a beautiful soul, Robert. This touched me from item number one! Our journey of discovery grows deeper with our age, as does our appreciation. When we stand and acknowledge our misgivings we humble ourselves before our higher power. At our weakest, we are profoundly stronger than we could ever have imagined. Bless you, and thank you for sharing. ☕️❤️
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you…your comment is wise. I’m grateful to be at this phase of life.
LikeLiked by 2 people
There isn’t a single one of the ten I’d change Rob.Some of them apply to me so well and I always hope that my other blog might help bring about some of those changes we’d like to see. https://lorddavidprosser1.wordpress.com/2015/11/21/how-do-we-change-the-world-one-random-act-of-kindness-at-a-time/
I wish you a wonderful week.
Hugs
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the comment and the link. The blog is excellent and I’ve decided to follow it…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks very much Rob.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a powerful manifesto, Rob.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you Danica,
It seems as if we’ve entered a very dangerous global game and that once again the stakes are the survival of out species. We know what doesn’t work and I suspect that most of us know what we have to do. The question is whether we collectively have the courage to change what we can. We can’t change the fact that we die…but we can change the conditions that breed violence and murder.
LikeLiked by 3 people
excellent post.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you…:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great work Robert
Love the art
Very inspiring and powerful
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you —
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on SURVIVORS BLOG HERE.
LikeLike
This is absolutely wonderful.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you…It seems like the season for assessing the year’s accomplishments. I’m pleased to say that I have made alot of progress in the area of acceptance this year…thanks for leaving a comment.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for reading it and leaving a comment…:)
LikeLike
My pleasure
LikeLiked by 1 person
I re-posted this. Very well said. Great post!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Reblogged this on sonofabeach96 and commented:
I love this site! He is articulate, talented, and insightful. And we both love The Talking Heads, so….. Anyway, check him out if you haven’t already! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for the re-blog…:) I’m inspired to post one of my favorite Talking Heads tunes now.
LikeLiked by 2 people
No problem. Really enjoy reading your posts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad to hear that…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! That was good really good! You’re good!
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thank you, my friend…:)
LikeLiked by 2 people
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person