Claire Niedermaier
Claire Niedermaier
When I was deciding how I wanted to offer peace through this project, I thought I would incorporate the words I say to myself in times of stress and anxiety. These words are from The Serenity Prayer, which has been deeply ingrained in my family over generations. My grandfather taught me this prayer when I was very young, and the prayer was written on my grandparents’ remembrance cards when they passed away only a few years later. I see those cards every day with their powerful words written on them as they sit on my dresser.
I didn’t start actively saying this prayer until I was a teenager. During an especially emotionally challenging time for me, my uncle sent me a letter in the mail that included a special gold coin with The Serenity Prayer inscribed on it. From then on, The Serenity Prayer has become my mantra, and it grounds me in peace, calmness, and certainty even during the most difficult times.
So, the lyrics in this song I wrote are taken from The Serenity Prayer, written by Reinhold Niebuhr, which goes like this:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Regardless of someone’s religiousness, I think anyone can take solace and comfort in these words, which have been so helpful and important to me. I hope that each and every one of you can find serenity, courage, and wisdom within your own lives.
I encourage you to listen to this song and participate with the call-and-response. You can even just listen to the song and think of the people and things you are grateful for. Maybe after some time, you will learn the words to The Serenity Prayer and be able to say it during stressful times.
I am in U-M SMTD’s Performing Arts Technology department studying sound engineering. My musical background is mainly in piano and voice, and I recently discovered my interest in music technology through the PAT department’s Girls in Music and Technology camp the summer before my senior year of high school. I am extremely excited to continue growing and learning at U-M!