This morning I had the opportunity to meet and visit with a very wise and intelligent Panamanian woman.  I want to share the experience with you.  Maria owns about 10 acres on a dramatic mountainside.  On the property, she has several houses, at least 3 of which she rents.  It is in that context that I was introduced to her.

Before I could arrive, the house I was coming to see as a possible rental was spoken for by another party … fine, no problem.  The grounds are beautiful, about which I commented.  After our business was complete, she asked if I would like to see her house.  Of course!  As she showed me around, I had the chance to chat with her.

Maria is an economist by training and worked for the United Nations in New York for 30 years.  After retirement, she returned to Panama and particularly Boquete, where she pioneered up-scale residential living among the coffee trees a number of years ago.  After the tour of her fabulous home, she walked me to my car.  As we made our way, she commented, “I love being here because it is a happy, wonderful place.  The world around us is usually in turmoil; what is wrong with North Korea today?”  I opined that the young leader there is nuts like his father was.  She replied, “They are doing what they are doing for some reason, but I cannot guess why.  You know, the world is what it is”.

At that moment, the simplicity of her statement struck me as profound:  The world is what it is.  She continued, “But, what can I accomplish to fix it?”  This was not a display of defeatism, nor was it an opinion that nothing might be done to improve our world and surroundings   No, it was a lament, that in the world-wide scheme of things, peace and harmony will not exist.

In my humble opinion, she is absolutely correct.  I believe her simple, but powerful message is to refuse to lose your peace battling that which will not change.  ” The Serenity Prayer” by Reinhold Niebuhr crystallizes what I was reminded of on a Panamanian mountain today.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Credits:  Thanks to Jemima for the fabulous woman at peace picture!