A Different Serenity Prayer

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I haven't been here in a while, so when I saw a discussion entitled, "Serenity!", it reminded of something very personal, kind of strange, and kind of funny. I've had some difficulties lately, but I know where I want my life to be heading so I've been to a few NA meetings. At NA meetings they're very big on the short version of the serenity prayer, which goes as so, "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." The meaning has such intense wisdom, and is something I've always thrived to follow in my life even before I heard it. It's very powerful, and though it's not very long, when you're new and also battle social anxiety it can be very tough to pick up on exactly how it goes and say it for word. In my awkwardness I've found that when it is spoken my mind drifts to another beautiful lyrical piece about serenity. Many won't be familiar with it, and those that are will know that comparing the two might seem immature to someone who hasn't seen it all, heard the song dozens of times as they rewatched the show over and over. What comes to my mind is, "The Ballad of Serenity." Yes, it is the opening song of an amazing and under appreciated science fiction show (called Firefly, check it out if you haven't seen it), but as much as I love the show the words and beauty of the song in a way speak to much of the point and purpose of NA. It's about life not always being pretty, but still seeing the goodness in it and striving for that. It might be hard to understand if you haven't been through certain things, and I love and respect the serenity prayer, but this one has its own deep meaning to me. To me they're both beautiful, but here's the one that comes to my mind when I'm feeling awkward and my anxiety makes me unable remember how the one chanted at meetings goes. The Ballad of Serenity Take my love Take my land Take me where I cannot stand I don't care I'm still free You can't take the sky from me Take me out to the black Tell 'em I ain't comin' back Burn the land and boil the sea You can't take the sky from me There's no place I can be Since I found serenity But you can't take the sky from me