--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Grant me the serenity to selflessly forgo…" description: "\"“Grant me the serenity to selflessly forgo my relationship to save humankind; To accept that the man I love cannot and will not change; The courage to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/colleen-houck-1066_serenity_grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forg_69206.png" --- # Grant me the serenity to selflessly forgo my relationship… ![“Grant me the serenity to selflessly forgo my relationship to save humankind; To accept that the man I love cannot and will not change; The courage to let him realize his potential and fulfill his destiny; And the wisdom to stay as far away as possible.” quote by Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/colleen-houck-1066_serenity_grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forg_69206.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/colleen-houck-1066_serenity_grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forg_69206.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/colleen-houck-1066_serenity_grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forg_69206.png) > ““Grant me the serenity to selflessly forgo my relationship to save humankind; To accept that the man I love cannot and will not change; The courage to let him realize his potential and fulfill his destiny; And the wisdom to stay as far away as possible.”” [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A plea for personal peace to sacrifice a love that cannot change, coupled with the resolve to let the other pursue their destiny, while maintaining distance for self‑preservation. **In simple terms:** Self‑sacrifice, acceptance, distance. Key Takeaway Let go of impossible love for greater good. Themes self‑sacrifice acceptance personal growth boundaries wisdom Mood melancholic resolute reflective Type personal manifesto philosophical reflection When to use this quote - ending an unfulfilling relationship - supporting a partner's ambitions - choosing altruism over romance - maintaining emotional health - setting boundaries Key Concepts serenity courage wisdom destiny Practical Applications - Therapeutic counseling - self‑help literature Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to love someone enough to let them go? - How can one balance personal peace with altruistic duty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Serenity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serenity/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“the Serenity Prayer? “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cortez-law-iii/the-serenity-prayer-god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i/) [Cortez Law III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cortez-law-iii/) > [God grant me the serenity to except the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can & the wisdom to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-araujo-lil-p/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-except-the-things-i-cannot-change/) Luis Araujo Lil-p > [God grant me to SERENITY to accept what I cannot change the TENACITY to change what I may and the GOOD LUCK not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-grant-me-to-serenity-to-accept-what-i-cannot-change-the-tenacity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God grant me the serenity to accept the things i can't change,the courage to change the things i can and the wisdom to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-schuller/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-can-t-change-the/) [Robert Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-schuller/) > [“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change. 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As Tiresias said to Odysseus: "Honey ... you don't get through hell in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/granted-in-order-to-give-selflessly-one-often-starts-giving-selfishly/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“almost all biologists agreed that no creature could ever evolve the ability to help its species at the expense of itself. Only when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-ridley/almost-all-biologists-agreed-that-no-creature-could-ever-evolve-the/) [Matt Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-ridley/) > [“The most self-serving thing one can do is live their life selflessly. Selflessly give your experience. Selflessly give your knowledge. Selflessly give your time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harper/the-most-self-serving-thing-one-can-do-is-live-their-life-selflessly/) Steve Harper > [It's when you're acting selflessly that you are at your bravest." --Four in Divergent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-when-you-re-acting-selflessly-that-you-are-at-your-bravest-four/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## More by Colleen Houck > [And yes, I'll admit, I am jealous. I'm jealous of every minute you spend with him, of every concerned expression you send his way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/and-yes-i-ll-admit-i-am-jealous-i-m-jealous-of-every-minute-you-spend/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“When he was finished, he set his plate down, looked at me, and raised an eyebrow. I leaned forward and whispered angrily, “I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/when-he-was-finished-he-set-his-plate-down-looked-at-me-and-raised-an/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“If I were a Jedi, I had definitely turned to the dark side of the Force.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/if-i-were-a-jedi-i-had-definitely-turned-to-the-dark-side-of-the-force/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“His vulnerability allowed me to let my guard down, and gently and methodically, he tore apart my well-constructed dam. Waves of tender feelings were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/his-vulnerability-allowed-me-to-let-my-guard-down-and-gently-and/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“I’ve experienced a lot in my life. I’ve been in bloody battles. I’ve been with friends who were killed. 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The only problem is that if you’re always alone, you get lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/i-don-t-mind-being-alone-either-the-only-problem-is-that-if-you-re/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“Holy Hannah, that man is dangerous!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/holy-hannah-that-man-is-dangerous/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“Long dormant feelings poured through my dried-up limbs and wound through me, slowly filling the emptiness. Like an irrigated field, I felt myself blossom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/long-dormant-feelings-poured-through-my-dried-up-limbs-and-wound/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“I don't like sleeping in the dark jungle by myself. Ren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/i-don-t-like-sleeping-in-the-dark-jungle-by-myself-ren/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“Oregon almost never got too hot. An Oregon governor must have passed a law a long, long time ago that said Oregon had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/oregon-almost-never-got-too-hot-an-oregon-governor-must-have-passed-a/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“One heartbeat passed and then another, and the moment felt hot and frozen at the same time. Then he smiled, and it was sunshine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/one-heartbeat-passed-and-then-another-and-the-moment-felt-hot-and/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) [Explore all 298 Colleen Houck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) ## More Serenity quotes > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. 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Instead, let us look at the unfettering light that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/the-world-can-spare-psychopathic-masterminds-of-fear-pushing-the/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Sometimes you see these people who are just so—God—so affected by all of it, where ambition has taken precedence over happiness. But when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/sometimes-you-see-these-people-who-are-just-so-god-so-affected-by-all/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Who can calculate the wounds inflicted, their depth and pain, by harsh and mean words spoken in anger? How pitiful a sight is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/who-can-calculate-the-wounds-inflicted-their-depth-and-pain-by-harsh/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [You can never cross the ocean, with the stillness of your emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishnat-grover/you-can-never-cross-the-ocean-with-the-stillness-of-your-emotion/) Nishnat Grover > [Become quiet and allow yourself to yearn for divine stillness which lies beyond this world of illusion and suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/become-quiet-and-allow-yourself-to-yearn-for-divine-stillness-which/) Senoraroy > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Meditation really helps create not only a sense of balance... but serenity and kind of a calm state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-mendes/meditation-really-helps-create-not-only-a-sense-of-balance-but/) [Eva Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-mendes/) > ["Serenity" is the flavor of meditation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/serenity-is-the-flavor-of-meditation/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“Turbulence that blows you to greatness is better than calmness that stalls you in mediocrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/turbulence-that-blows-you-to-greatness-is-better-than-calmness-that/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) [Browse all 1,299 Serenity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serenity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Grant me the serenity to selflessly forgo my relationship to save humankind; To accept that the man I love cannot and will not change; The courage to let him realize his potential and fulfill his destiny; And the wisdom to stay as far away as possible.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colleen Houck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forgo-my-relationship-to-save/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Serenity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forgo-my-relationship-to-save/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/colleen-houck-1066_serenity_grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forg_69206.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/colleen-houck-1066_serenity_grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forg_69206.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/colleen-houck-1066_serenity_grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forg_69206.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Grant me the serenity to selflessly forgo my relationship to save humankind; To accept that the man I love…” — Colleen Houck", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Colleen Houck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Grant me the serenity to selflessly...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forgo-my-relationship-to-save/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/grant-me-the-serenity-to-selflessly-forgo-my-relationship-to-save/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```