Three texts, three songs

Do What You Can, Do Not Be Daunted & The Serenity Prayer

Over the past few months, I’ve benefited from so many thoughtful essays, here on Substack and elsewhere—many of them very long. Yet I’ve also relied on a few very short wisdom texts, some quite ancient. Years ago, my late father encouraged me to put historical poems and quotations to music—but that didn’t hold much appeal to me as a highly individualistic young person. That’s changing now. Here are a few short songs based on texts I didn’t write, but that I rely on. Like trees, I find they provide shelter and strength. I hope you find them useful.

1. Do What You Can

This simple song is based on the wise words of Nkose Johnson, the 12 year-old South African child who died of HIV/AIDS on June 1, 2001. (As a result of DOGE funding cuts this year in the U.S. an additional 6 million people are estimated to become infected with AIDS by 2029.) I’m grateful to Dr. Rick Hanson for sharing Johnson’s wisdom in a phrasing that led easily to a song. “Do what you can, with what you’ve been given, where you are, in the time that you have.” I’ve added a couple of verses to that chorus…and it spontaneously evolved in a meaningful way.

2. Do Not Be Daunted

Based on several texts from Pirke Avot (Jewish Sages) with contemporary paraphrasing (Rabbi Rami Shapiro), this often-shared wisdom is familiar to many people now, including those who, like me, were not raised in the Jewish tradition. “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” In a meaningful synchronicity, the quotation popped up in my Facebook yet again (thanks to subscriber Donald!) just before I sat down to work on this post.

3. Acceptance, Courage & Wisdom (The Serenity Prayer)

I was first introduced to 12 Step wisdom and The Serenity Prayer (written by Reinhold Niebuhr) in my early teens, and I find it very helpful these days. “God grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I’ll be honest: I wrestled with this particular angel a long time before embracing it and deciding to share this version (of many possible ones) with you. It draws on the original text but adds to it, emphasizing the seeking of serenity in times of struggle and tension. As Anne Lamott said, there are three kinds of prayers: help, thanks, and wow. This one is about “help.” (And as usual, after it was finally finished, it led naturally to “thanks!”)

Whew…that’s a lot! This turned out to be a long post after all. The next one will be shorter, promise. Many thanks for reading and listening.

With love, gratitude and best wishes…

Lynn

Additional notes: Recently I’ve noticed several artists (particularly poets) creating new work “after” others…and I wonder whether we’re (finally!) beginning to figure out that we are all continually nourished and inspired by everything and everybody else? Nothing is ever “ours” alone.

The cover art is an original watercolour of three birch trees that are no longer with us, thanks to the creative work of enterprising beavers! I was briefly tempted to use AI to create a “three trees” image (it can do it speedily and spiffily of course) but I still prefer the human.