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MCC Daily Tribune

Quotes That Inspire

As we all deal with our new reality that includes COVID-19, this inspiring quote submitted by Professor and Department Chair Todd Korol, Business Administration/Economics, seems particularly apt.

"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." - Theologian and Educator Reinhold Niebuhr

Todd shares the following:

"I first encountered a form of this Serenity Prayer a long time ago when reading a book on Native American wisdom. It is now best known as the cornerstone of recovery programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Its origin is traced to sermons by the Theologian and Educator Reinhart Niebuhr in the 1930s. However, very similar sentiments can be traced as far back as the 8th century. The quote's common attribution to addiction is narrow.

"Here is an example which I tie to Toltec wisdom: I say, "I am short." I am. In junior high school gym class, we lined up by height and picked teams by counting off down the line. The collective "truth" was that being short was not ideal. ... There is no morality to being tall or short. Most importantly, I cannot change that! My words to myself needed to be positive based on my acceptance of being "short." ... I needed to accept my height, rather than "fight it," turn it against myself, and wish it were different.

"What can I change? First and foremost, I cannot change others! ... The only thing I can change is me. I can change my words (see don Miguel Ruiz). I can change my reactions (i.e., wait ten seconds before responding). Have you ever clicked "Send" in anger, only to later regret it? I can change my behavior. All of this can be extremely hard to do, but an ideal to strive towards, never to be reached as I am human.

"Knowing the difference is the key ... I use the Serenity Prayer daily--many, many, times daily. It often helps. When it often does not, I reflect, learn, and grow towards the unreachable ideal."

Submit your quote with a brief narrative about why the quote resonates for you to PresOffice@monroecc.edu. "Quotes that Inspire" are featured on Fridays in the MCC Daily Tribune.

Thank you for your good work this week. Enjoy your weekend.

Katherine Douglas
Office of the President
03/13/2020