Member-only story
27 Words That Say It All
Wisdom from my girlfriend’s 85-year-old granny
I recently went for lunch at my girlfriend’s grans house. She’s 85, struggles to walk, and recently had a fall that knocked her for six.
Having said all that, she’s an absolute hoot. She’s as vibrant as a 20-year-old, as sassy as a teenager, and sharp as a fox. She also comes from that generation who believes ‘a stiff upper lip’ is the way to go regardless of the circumstances.
As with many old people, I’m fascinated to listen to their wisdom, ask questions about their lives, and hear their perspectives on things.
As I was finding my curiosity, she dropped this wisdom bomb mid-sentence:
“Lord, grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
I had heard this Serenity Prayer before but after 2024 it took on a whole new meaning.
My girlfriend had been diagnosed with an ovarian cyst and endometriosis the year before and we had spent the year in and out of hospital, going for check-ups, finding out our fate with regards to having children, meeting the surgeon, going for surgery, and finally, going through recovery.
