The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change-and When to Let Go

by Eileen Flanagan

Overview

This wise book guides readers in discovering what they can—and should—change in their lives, accepting what they cannot, and discovering “the wisdom to know the difference.”

Thousands of people have been moved by the famous last lines of the Serenity Prayer:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

But how exactly can we know the difference? How can we acknowledge our true limits without negating the possibility for dramatic change? In this inspiring book, Eileen Flanagan draws on her own Quaker faith as well as a range of other religious and spiritual traditions to show readers how they can learn to listen to their own inner voice in determining when a change is needed in their lives or when instead acceptance is the answer. These lessons come to life through the inspiring stories of various individuals, including:

· the mother of a fallen soldier in Iraq who talks about the power of forgiveness and her work to end the war;
· A Katrina survivor who describes how she learned inner peace the hard way;
· a family therapist who shares what he learned about accepting the things he cannot change from the car accident that left him paralyzed.

This illuminating book leads readers to discover the serenity that comes when one has gained “the wisdom to know the difference.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101144923
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/17/2009
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	263 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Eileen Flanagan, a writer and public speaker, is the author of the Silver Nautilus Book Award–winning books, Renewable: One Woman’s Search for Simplicity, Faithfulness, and Hope and The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change—and When to Let Go, which was endorsed by the Dalai Lama. She lives in Philadelphia, where she works as a leader of the Earth Quaker Action Team.

What People are Saying About This

Dalai Lama

"The Wisdom to Know the Difference is about being able to change. We human beings are basically the same, wherever we come from, and despite the small physical differences in the shape of our noses, the color of our hair and so on. We are the same because we all have the same potential to undergo both positive and negative experiences. What's more, we also have the same potential to transform ourselves and our attitudes. What is important is that we can make a change and transform ourselves into better, happier people."--(His Holiness the Dalai Lama)

Brent Bill

"Eileen Flanagan's delightful book is a source of wisdom and encouragement to which you'll return again and again. Blessing and inspiration await on every page."--(Brent Bill, Quaker minister and author Sacred Compass: The Way of Spiritual Discernment)

Diana Winston

"We've all heard these famous lines 'grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, and the courage to change the things I can' but we rarely hear how to find the wisdom to know and act on the difference. Until now. This beautiful book weaves together fascinating stories and timeless wisdom from across spiritual traditions to create a practical map for all of us to navigate this very question."--(Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education, UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center, and author of Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens)

Karen Casey

"In The Wisdom to Know the Difference Eileen Flanagan effortlessly weaves the wisdom of the ordinary people she has met on her path with the extraordinary wisdom of many spiritual teachers into a rich tapestry. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking spiritual wisdom."--(Karen Casey, Ph.D. author of Each Day A New Beginning)

Phyllis Tickle

"Full of wisdom and everyday stories that become parables in Flanagan's hands.'"--(Phyllis Tickle, author of The Divine Hours and The Great Emergence)