“Serenity is the
peaceful coexistence
with life’s challenges.”
Dalai Lama

I’ve written about “sacred spaces” in the past. They can be found in myriad places. For many people, churches, chapels, and shrines provide what they might refer to as their sacred space. For others, venues might include the beach, a particular park, a mountain top, or a quiet lake or stream. For others, their sacred space might be within their home. For something to be a “sacred” space, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a particularly religious place. It simply needs to be a venue which offers us peace of mind and a sense of serenity. It might also be a place where we experience an encounter with our God.

There are dozens of places which, through the years, have proven to be sacred spaces for me. These include the cliffs along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, the Jesuit Retreat Center in Los Altos, Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, Saint Ignatius Church in The City, and Sunset Dunes Park, formerly known as The Great Highway, in San Francisco. In each of these places, I experience levels of serenity that nurture my soul. 

One other place comes to mind, as well, although I can’t really claim it as my own sacred space. I’m referring to Land’s End Lookout, a parking lot and picnic area overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the remains of the old Sutro Baths in The City, just north of the Cliff House. This was one of my Mom’s sacred spaces.

In her final years living on 38th Avenue in The City, before her move to a retirement community in Mountain View in 2012, Mom thoroughly enjoyed spending time sitting in her car in the parking lot at the Land’s End Lookout. Sometimes she would bring a book and do some reading. Sometimes she’d fall asleep. Most often, however, she simply cherished the opportunity to savor the view of the ocean beyond Seal Rocks. If she happened to be there at the right time of day, she would often be treated to a spectacular view of the setting sun. 

One online dictionary defines serenity as “the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled, representing a deep, lasting and unwavering inner tranquility; it is a composed state of mind that remains steady, even in the midst of chaos.”

For many years, I had a framed print of The Serenity Prayer hanging on the wall in my home office. A few weeks ago, I removed it from my office and hung it on the wall at the bottom of the steps that lead from our living room up to the bedrooms. I pause several times each day and read the prayer:

“Lord, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.”