I have been going through trouble and anxiety because of some things that happened to me personally. Most of it is on my mind as I hold no control, but I don't actually know if I indeed hold no control. I live a comfortable life and, at least so far, I am well paid, but the adversities, specially when they happen too fast and too close to each other, can take away my peace of mind.
By listening to the song "Lean With Me" by the rapper Juice WRLD I noticed a deep prayer, which I felt fits what I would like to have for my situation with anxiety for the unknown and the unexpected expenses.
The part that interests me is straight to the point:
"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"
Short, straight to the point, intuitive, and totally right.
That short quote has been the center of Greek philosophy after Socrates.
Neoplatonism became basically a religion, there is no reason to not accept the things you can't change, but it is worth changing the things that you can, and wisdom in philosophy is undoubtedly important.
Stoicism is clearly a direct match to the prayer, stoicists try to make that logic their way of life, it makes no sense to try to change what you can't, so it makes sense to accept it, but if you can it is logical that you need to courage to do it and you need the wisdom to know the difference. I think that more than anything this prayer is stoic.
Epicurism is less intuitive. The goal os stoicists is to avoid pain and seek pleasure, but it is also said in stoicist philosophy that it is worth it giving away a short term pleasure for a more intense or lasting pleasure in the future, despite common sense assuming otherwise. So accepting the things that we can't change is logical to avoid pain, and having the courage to change the things that we can, although possibly painful at first, can reward a stoic person with more pleasure and less pain, maybe even pleasure for longer, in the future.
That prayer is powerful, even though I am an atheist (so I take it to philosoph), because it synthesizes centuries of philosophy and even current common sense.
The questions now are, will I have the serenity to accept the things that I can not change? Will I have the courage to change the things that I can? And most importantly, will I have the wisdom to know the difference?