Effects

 Events End.  Effects do not.  When we continue to live in shame and guilt, and resentment, we are still living the past in the present.  We cannot change the past, so why live it in our bodies?  Serenity is in part accepting things I cannot change.  It can take courage to change the things you can.  Why?  Because it might involve telling someone else about the event, relationship, experience.  Isolation is often living in the past because there is no one to whom we can talk about our shame and guilt and resentments.  Even monks have confessors, spiritual guides who know their secrets.  Then there are no secrets and we can begin to let go of the effects of the past.  We can live in the present, having learned self-acceptance and wisdom of letting the past stay past.