“…humility is the key to serenity and happiness.”

– Life with Hope, first edition, page 34

“God, grant us the serenity…” I had no relationship to the word ‘serenity’ when I first came into recovery. It quickly became a core value in my life. I’ve learned to look at serenity as a practice, as a choice. Praying for serenity is an excellent alternative to smoking weed. I used to smoke because I was chasing after an experience of pleasure, of control, of centeredness. The more I smoked, the further away I felt from these experiences.

Being clean gives me the opportunity to truly live the life I want to live. When my body is being affected by the chemicals in marijuana, I actually have less control over my experience. When I am clean, and connected to the divine, I can choose my attitude, or ask for help from my Higher Power to direct me. Serenity means acceptance. Now, instead of smoking weed to try to feel better, I pray for serenity. It’s actually much more effective. There’s a saying, “clean and crazy” that describes a person who is not using substances but still has no serenity in life. To truly be clean, I pray for serenity. Serenity is sobriety. It is acceptance; it is prioritizing my connection to the divine over my character defects.

Final thought: Today, I will prioritize my serenity over all else. Nothing is more important than my connection to divine love.