Oh all right, whatever it will be. Satisfied?

My times they are a-changin’.

Of late I have been working diligently to follow the premise of ‘letting go.’ It’s working OK. Not perfectly, but it’s still better for me, and so much more logical. It’s a big and nasty world and there is little I can do to fix it. It’s not always easy, but in that I go back to the remarkable wisdom of the Serenity Prayer: About 20 times a day when things haven’t been going right.

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.

If that isn’t sufficient for you, I can give you the same thing in Hawaiian, in case you’re feeling in a certain vacation spirit.

E ke Akua Mana Loa, E ha’awi mai I ka maluhia
E ‘ae m ai I na mea I hiki ‘ole ai ia’u ke ho’ololi,
Ka ikaika e ho’ololi ai I na mea hiki ai,
A me ka na’auao e maopopo ai ka ‘oko’a.

Cool. Now I feel better in two languages, my at-home one and my vacation one.

So, what are the things I cannot change and therefore should not be lying awake or dealing with a zero libido, loss of appetite, plumbing distress, palpitations, prickly heat or diaper rash over? Why, damn near everything. But, specifically?

- the economy, other than my own sensible regard over my resources

- international politics. The bastards will do what they want to do regardless of what I might think, and regardless of how senseless and even suicidal their behaviors are.

- Domestic politics. Currently, despite the boneheadedness of Canadian politicians of all stripes – and may they all go to hell in my esteem for not having even the slightest inkling of what democracy actually means and what a vote actually means (hey, we voted for these guys because we hate your guts) – I have done just one little thing. I sent off a letter to the Governor General requesting a general election. Other than that I can do no more.

- The plight – deserved or otherwise – of the Big 3 automakers. Quite frankly I don’t really care for their travails except for the fact we’re talking jobs and local economies here, folks. Then I could, if I let myself, get all Michael Moore-ish.

- The impending demise of the Spotted Owl. Haven’t ever killed no spotted owls, and that’s about the best I can do.

Now, the courage to change the things I can department. That I can do if I choose to. If any of those elements that follow are causing me distress then it is my call to rectify them. If I don’t, then I have no right to whine and I equally have no mandate to blame anybody else. So, what are those?

- taking care of my health and making whatever changes might be needed to continue to thrive.

- Extending gestures of love and affection to those nearest and dearest.

- Doing what I can to give back to my community which, for all its flaws, has generally treated me well.

- Letting go of people and practices of my past if there is no reason to continue with either.

- Coming to realize that just because I wouldn’t do a certain negative thing to another, it doesn’t mean they won’t do those things to me.

- Accepting that.

- Letting go of guilt.

- Letting go of things that might invoke guilt, including the fun things. Realistically those fun things are the most guilt-inducing.

- Not internalizing imagined slights from people I might cherish. Could be they’re having a bad day.

- Or, it could be they don’t love me as much as I might fancy I love them.

- Keeping c’est la vie, que sera, and shit happens in prominent places in my working lexicon.

I plan to have a good day. Hope you do as well.