Grant Me The Serenity To Accept Things I Cannot Change

And then do something else and forget about the world outside

Who hasn’t escaped in a good book to forget what’s going on in the world around them? Literature can bring a pause of relief and a path into another world to those with troubled minds.

With turmoil raging around us it’s no wonder that people are turning to things that they do have control over such as a new hobby or sport, binge-watching Netflix, or reading loads of books and articles whether in print or online and the joy of that is you can choose what you are doing and escape the outside world.

And this is what may bring comfort to many in these times of a Pandemic, U.S. Elections, and Brexit coming towards us. Things we can control that we enjoy. All these things give nuggets of loveliness in a rather grim world otherwise we could feel as though we are on a rollercoaster ride that we cannot get off.

So soaked are we in misery it’s good to find a way out in the form of things that we like. There is only so much of the Orange One or Bumbling Boris we can take. That’s without a pandemic raging around us with a myriad of infection rates, hopes of a vaccine, hospital admission numbers, and idiots refusing to wear masks.

Some of us, although aware of what is going on in the world are now choosing to back away from what’s going on for our own sanity. This is not a bad choice. There really is such a thing as information overload and it all gets too much for the mind to take in. In doing this you are not being an irresponsible and uninterested citizen, you are just taking care of your mental health.

Sometimes to shut off from the world is a good form of self-protection. I don’t mean turning into a hermit and heading off to the woods for the next ten years. Just some time out from it all is as good as a rest and you might be able to think more clearly when you return.

Whether you bury yourself in a book or watch loads of box-sets does it really matter? You are passing time in a good way and hopefully by time passing the world will gradually reset to a point when so many of us don’t feel the need to step away from all that is going on. Too much wears us down and as well as our mental health it can also affect our physical health.

There is no shame in walking away and it is not a sign of weakness. It is rather a sign of self-care and awareness that you need to still your mind and body.

So step back, mask in hand. Pick up a book, watch a film, talk to your dog, or enjoy nature as you take a long walk. Time away is valuable and an elixir and can only do you good.

Live around the things you cannot change and enjoy the things you can.