Anchor Point Counseling Center

There is a quote in the “big book of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)” and it goes like this, “Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.”  This is a very wise statement.  A variation to this is from Buddhism, “The root of all suffering is desire.”  Now, this may seem to be two very separate ideas yet I will try to connect them.

For example, if you desire chocolate and, alas, there is none to be found in the house… you suffer.  If you wish things were not as they are (i.e. poverty, hunger, recession, etc.) you suffer.  Now, bring forth the quote, “Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.” Acceptance is an antidote to desire, therefore; it is an antidote to suffering.

Here is a quote that you are familiar with:

“God grant me the Serenity; to accept the things that I cannot change;

the courage to change the things I can;

and the wisdom to know the difference.”

The meaning of this prayer can change with its emphasis.  What it means, to me, is I don’t try to change things that are not in my power to change.  How do I do this?  I accept that I am powerless over the situation presented.

The longer version of the quote from the “big book of AA” is: “And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.

Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept (fill-in-the-blank), I could not (fill-in-the-blank); unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.” (pg. 417 in the fourth edition)

There is no need to unpack this passage from this famous book.  The basic text of AA was copyrighted in 1939.  This passage has changed many lives.  I hope it brings hope to anyone struggling with world events. I pray for peace and serenity for anyone who suffers, this is the essence of compassion.