CHANGES, STABILITY AND ACCEPTANCE

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CHANGES, STABILITY AND ACCEPTANCE

Harry Bissoon

My Weekly Column, Feb.7th, 2020.


"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." Rheinhold Nebhuir.


When the American theologian, Rheinhold Niebuhr, wrote the Serenity Prayer, he must have been troubled by his own shortcomings, as well as those of his congregation. His mindset that prevailed in the early 20th century, still has real significance today, as we are beset with problems that must have also existed in his time.


The very thought of accepting things that we cannot change, runs counter to our intrinsic and innate curiosity to delve into the mysteries of life, and to seek solutions to the many problems we face.It is this inquisitive process that leads us make advancement in all spheres of life, at least for those who have the wisdom to make changes. 


Our problems of today, locally and globally, scream at us for resolution, and it is within our ambit to make changes, and to implement policies, set guidelines, and create the right atmosphere for goodness and relevant development to prevail. 


The farmer's protests in India, the political tug a war in the USA, the human rights abuses in China and elsewhere, the violation of, and attacks on, our women, the interminable, historical conflicts in the Middle East, a breakdown of democracy, and yes,  pandemics, are just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of things that we can change. It is not my intention, in this blog, to lay out specific resolutions for some of these areas of conflict, but will definitely do so, later. JI have, however, already done so, in a previous article, as it relates to abuses on our women, and will look at some of the others, as time goes by.


Changes are fraught with dangers, both from an individual point of view, and from a social perspective. But they are necessary!. Many of us are comfortable in the way we live, and can become troubled when faced with changes. Society, also, can restrict changes, because it stands to benefit from the status quo, and does not want to disrupt the how and why of what is existing, where we find ourselves.


The struggle with normalcy is great and never ending. We go into different stages of depression, when we fight to hold on to it, and then lose it, and we experience the same emotions when we can't change it, forced to accept it. Therein lies the paradox, and, under these conditions, we realize the comfort of the Serenity Prayer.


The intention of my blog is to provoke discussion and expressions of views that you may have. I am certain there are those who are knowledgeable,  and have views that are related to our social, political, economic,  and moral dilemma, of doing what is right in the fave of our life sustaining challenges.


Let's all resolve to stand with each other, in a world full of inconsistencies, complexities, and manageable challenges, and to seek wisdom to do the right thing.

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