With Mayo Clinic oncologist Edward T. Creagan, M.D.

We are each buffeted and assaulted by issues, circumstances and developments over which we have no control. A faceless bureaucracy involving credit cards or cell phones; a telemarketer interrupting dinner hour; or the mundane challenges of everyday life such as getting stuck in traffic, an unfair performance appraisal or being passed over for a promotion.

A clergy at a recent service talked about the notion of letting go and "surrender." By this, she meant acknowledging that there are some developments over which we have no control, and yet, we can spend an enormous amount of energy trying to tackle unsolvable dilemmas.

A useful analogy involved the notion of a Christmas present, a box with beautiful wrappings and a bow. In that box is our serenity. When we become irate, when we react to some of life's issues, in effect we are giving away that gift, that box to others.

When we give away our serenity, we give away our peace of mind and our sense of calmness. Most of us would never choose to do that deliberately so we need to be proactive and preemptive in protecting our own peace of mind.

So, how do we do that? I think we have each learned that there is no quick fix, no easy recipe, but if we do not maintain an element of fitness, and acknowledge that life is not always fair and "the good guys do not always win," then I believe we are better able to go with the flow, roll with the punches, and face life with poise, dignity, and serenity.

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