I first saw The Serenity Prayer at a friend's house. We were 13 years old at the time and had free rein (her parents were rarely home). Skipping through the hallway one day, a curling iron in one hand and candy bar in the other–the words in a picture frame stopped me in my tracks. I hope they'll have the same effect on you.
AUDIO FILE: Listen to Jean-Marc read La Prière de Sérénité following prayer Download MP3 or Download Wav
La Prière de la Sérénité
Mon Dieu,
Donnez-moi la sérénité
D'accepter
Les choses que je ne puis changer,
Le courage
De changer les choses que je peux,
Et la sagesse
D'en connaître la différence.
The Serenity Prayer
God,
Grant me the serenity
To accept
The things I cannot change,
The courage
To change the things I can,
And the wisdom
To know the difference.
The French version of this prayer is from Wikipédia.
Thank you for sharing today's post with a friend. I leave you with a peaceful image from Marseilles: little fishing huts and beach cabanos in the 9ème arrondissement, where my mother-in-law used to live.
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I will remember the Serenity Prayer as I get ready for a day and overnight with my grandsons (7 and almost 3). I love that picture of Jean-Marc with M. Sac. Aren’t those the steps up to Notre-dame de la Garde?
What is the occasion for placing those flowers on the steps. Are they in pots? Tell me the story behind it, please, Kristi!
Bravo, Jean Marc!
It’s one of my favorite prayers. Merci Kristin for posting it en Francais. I plan to memorize it in French.
Bill, Now that you mention it, the image does remind one of Notre Damehave de la Gard. But the photo was taken in Sicily. Have fun with your grandkids!
Marika, the cyclamens were placed there at Christmas time.
Hi Kristin,
I love The Serenity Prayer. You might like the book by Father Jonathan Morris….The Way of Serenity. He breaks down the serenity prayer and show you how it can be a spiritual journey toward God.
Eileen, thanks for book recommendation.
The serenity prayer has also been used in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings forever. Happy to have it in french…thanks!
Dear Kristi,
My mother lived her life by this prayer. She was an alcoholic. The five o’clock martinis she shared with my dad turned into “whatever” drinks to take away the pain when my father left her for another woman. A friend convinced her to go to AA and there she embraced this prayer.
(She would have loved it even more in french!) The Serenity Prayer gave her strength for the rest of her life. I have random, spontaneous and sometimes tearful moments filled with memories of my mother. After reading your post, this was one of those moments…
Now to read Fr Jonathan Morris’ book!
Dear Kristin,
I love The Serenity Prayer and have it posted on my frigo. I am so happy to now be able to say it in French. Thank you! On another note, you mentioned your mother-in-law (Marie France?) I remember her fall and your distress when you found her. I don’t remember reading anything about her in a long time, and now I’m concerned. Did I miss something? God bless.
My dear Mother’s words of wisdom. How is your Mother-in-law?
The reminder of this prayer could not have come at a better time for me, Kristi. I have been going through a challenging time and this prayer has soothed my spirit this morning. Milles mercis!!!
Try following Kristin on Twitter…or Instagram
https://Instagram.com/p/0FrIz1JE-s/
A picture of Jean-Marc’s mother…
Thank you Kristi for The Serenity prayer. So kind of you to post the peaceful photo along with it. Your gesture really touched me,thanks again. I needed that this morning.
Thanks for sharing this. It’s beautiful and so are your pictures.
Happy Easter!
Kristin, Perfect timing for all it seems. Lovely to hear in French. (The MP3 revealed “file corrupted,” but the WAV version worked fine.)
Eileen, Thanks for recommending the book here. I just put in a request for it at my local library. (When our local branch doesn’t have a copy, they messenger one from another branch in the county.)
Quel est le nom de la ville avec les fleurs dans la rue? Une très belle photo.
Kristi- Is M. Sacs in Noto, Sicily?
Beautiful photos and a great reminder the Serenity Prayer.
xoxo
Our dear Kristi,
This is absolutely beautiful and a perfect way to embrace both Easter week and Passover.
Blessings to you and your dear family.
Love
Natalia. Xo
Beautiful . . . grateful . . .
Chris, thanks for including the Instagram info, where I post photos of family, including my mother-in-law, who is doing great. And thanks for sharing about your Mom. She must have been very dear and lovely, because I know her daughter 🙂
Don, Im sorry I cant remember the name of the Sicilia town, but it is famous for pottery or porcelain…
Thank you all for your responses to this post. So enjoy reading your words.
Rebonjour , Don. Larry just answered your question over at Facebook: the Sicilian city where I took the photo of Jean-Marc is… Caltagirone.
On Mar 30, 2015 7:47 PM, Kristin Espinasse kristin.espinasse@gmail.com wrote:
Chris, thanks for including the Instagram info, where I post photos of family, including my mother-in-law, who is doing great. And thanks for sharing about your Mom. She must have been very dear and lovely, because I know her daughter 🙂
Don, Im sorry I cant remember the name of the Sicilia town, but it is famous for pottery or porcelain…
Thank you all for your responses to this post. So enjoy reading your words.
One of my favorite prayers.
Found the town … Caltagirone, Sicily … I have never heard of it but now that I’ve seen your photo of the steps I want to go!!!
Kristin:
A simple but profound prayer!
Lovely photo as well,
Merci
Edie from Savannah
Having been around the world the serenity prayer and the steps whether in Thai, Hindi or Africakaans all mean the same. Thanks for the French version.
And you always have the courage…..
Thank you, Kristi. You have an amazing way of touching the heart…
Dear Kristin,
I say this every week in my 12-step meeting. It was so interesting to hear Jean Marc say it in French. This is an inspiring post leading up to Easter. Thank you, Kristin
Thank you for such a beautiful little prayer. My mother used to say a prayer that the French-Canadian nuns used to say all the time in school. Something about God giving them patience. I wish I could remember it.
Beautiful scenery!
The Serenity Prayer in French gives me grammatical confusion. Can someone explain to me why the first line uses the subjunctive of pouvoir (‘les choses que je ne puis pas changer) but the second uses indicative (‘les choses que je peux’)?? French is harrrrddddd…
Thank you so much Kristi for sharing this beautiful prayer in French. I now love it even more knowing that friends around the world are reciting this with me.
Bon Courage to you as well, always.
Merci pour La Priere de Serenite, which brought my husband through 28 years of sobriety and to his heavenly home. Hope Jean-Marc’s mother is doing well now.
I would very much like to have the Serenity Prayer in its entirety. Could you possibly pass that along??? Merci
I would very much like to have the Serenity Prayer in its entirety. Could you possibly pass that along??? Merci
SQOW,
“puis” is not a subjunctive form. It’s an alternate form of “peux”. I believe you are confusing it with “puisse”.
I did miss this post. Je’ dore your writing and this website. Thank you.
Jodi
Thank you, Jodi!
When you know what “en panne” means, then you can figure out what “dé-panne” means. Generally, one would guess that it has something to do with “fix”… which is ironic in this case as the sous she gets will also give her her fix.