It Is What It Is

What does 'It is what it is" mean to you? It often sounds like a casual dismissal of reality, but after reading Tara Brach's book, "Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha" (a slog) I began to think differently. 

'It is what it is' is simply the lay person's way of saying that they have released themselves from the attachment to a particular adversity, that they can't change things that have already happened, and that there is still life ahead of us that we have control over.

From Bowie Style Facebook page
Starman

For me, a trivial example is that I've had to accept that I won't ever get to see David Bowie live in concert, but I can appreciate all he has given of himself that is still available to me. That is freeing. So is realizing that having 3 invasive plants in our lake is not something I can undo, but I can still enjoy and appreciate the nature in front of me, and work with what I've got - it simply IS. 

Another commonly quoted phrase comes from Reinhold Niebuhr's Prayer for Serenity - "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."

I found it interesting that the concept of radical acceptance aligns with other commonly used phrases in our culture. One doesn't have to practice mindfulness, meditation and the spiritual teaching of Buddhism to find one's way to serenity and inner peace.

The hardest part is humbly accepting that I don't have control over everything!