“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.”
~ Reinhold Niebuhr
Hanging on the wall in my home office, directly above my desk, is a framed copy of The Serenity Prayer, often attributed to American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. The prayer has been a source of calming inspiration to me on many occasions. I reflected upon these words again today after filling the gas tank on my 2005 Honda Accord at the local gas station.
I knew gas prices were skyrocketing. The local and national news channels have been talking about the significant daily increases for quite awhile now. Prior to today, the highest price I’d ever paid for a gallon of gas was $4.75. That was in June 2008. Today, however, that record was shattered when I paid $5.39 per gallon at the Rotten Robbie station at Saratoga Avenue & Williams Road in West San José.
Was I shocked? Not at all. I was prepared for it. I’m also prepared for the probability that my next fill-up, which hopefully won’t be for a month or more, will cost significantly more. Pundits are predicting that gas prices could well rise to the level of $8 to $10 per gallon. This is going to be problematic for many people. For me, it will be a bit of an inconvenience. I say this not because I’m independently wealthy. That’s not the case at all. The fact that I am retired, however, means that my need to drive my car is quite limited.
I am well aware that the current gas crisis, if that’s what we’re calling it, is going to be excruciatingly painful for many Bay Area residents who work in San Francisco or Silicon Valley, but who purchased more affordable homes in places like Stockton, Modesto, Lodi, or Los Baños and commute to work each day. Those commuters, many of whom, like me, have not yet invested in an electric car, are going to feel the brunt of this predicament.
So why is this crisis simply an inconvenience for me? There is absolutely nothing I can do about the price of gas. It’s not within my control. Therefore, I have no viable option other than to accept the reality of the situation. I do, however, have control over much of my other spending. For example, I was planning to enjoy a weeklong writing vacation in Pacific Grove next week. With all expenses for the week considered, I anticipated the cost would be about $1,000. (Yes, I had a great price on a cottage near the beach.) Given the sharp rise in gas prices, that money would be better spent on necessities, so I canceled the trip. With that extra money, I should be able to fill my tank, or Kathy’s, up to ten times. This is what Niebuhr meant by the phrase, “Courage to change the things I can.”
I’m not happy about the increase in the price of gas. I don’t fully understand the combination of factors contributing to the rise in prices, but it is what it is. There is still so much for which to be grateful.
