“Until you know yourself to be essentially whole, and not the wounded and broken one who needs to be fixed, the true solution to your personal suffering will remain out of reach.”–Gail Brenner
So I was watching a documentary about Sesame Street. In one of the songs, Ernie was futilely attempting to learn to play the saxophone. All he could produce was a sorry-sounding squeak. Hoots, the Owl, finally diagnoses Ernie’s problem and launches into a clever song that I’ve decided to use as my New Year’s resolution: Put down the duckie.
Ernie is unable to play his heart out, to fully join the exuberant band because he refuses to let go of the rubber duckie he has been clutching to his heart.
The “rubber duckie” most of us non-Muppets refuse to surrender are the highly-conditioned thoughts and patterns that make up the ground of our awareness.
On the top of the list is the suffocating belief that we need to be fixed, that we’re not quite as good at “playing the saxophone” as the next guy. We also believe we must jump through a series of hoops to get there—wherever there is.
But the need to grasp onto that duckie is nothing but the ego’s opinion. And in 2022, the only voice I’m listening to is the one reverberating in my heart, the one that doesn’t come and go.
So bye-bye duckie!
I also want to announce that the Taz Grout 222 Foundation has finally chosen a candidate for the 2/22/22 award that happens to fall on a Tuesday (2’s day). As usual, there were SO MANY inspiring ideas. Reading through them all made me pump my fist in the air and hoot, “Shazam!”
People are out there doing amazing things. The Global Art Project for Peace, for example, pairs artists from around the world. Each creates a work of art (a song, a dance, a painting) that expresses their vision of global peace and goodwill and then every two years in late April the messages are exchanged, with peace circulating across the globe. Artists from more than 97 countries have participated.
Another beautiful candidate helmed by 25-year-old Romanian artist Florentina even has a “spokes-zebra” whose motto is “My stripes may be different, but my heart beats the same.” I also really liked their “We are all Stardust” t-shirts.
Like always, the winner will be announced on February 22.
In the meantime, East West Bookshop has asked me to do a Pop-up Possibility Posse. It’s on Zoom and, as the notice says, there’s no agenda, no set format…just a fun, high-vibe gathering where you can ask me anything.
My portion of the proceeds will, of course, go to the Taz Grout 222 Foundation.
I’d love to see you there.
So Joyful New Year, my loving, brilliant, inspiring friends. Let’s make this the year we put down the duckie for good. #222 Forever
Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest book, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World) that has just been turned into an app. Badass ACIM (badass-acim.com)
17 Responses
Thanks, Pam! I would say wishing you a wonderful 2022, but we all KNOW it will be a fantastic 2022 for YOU and all of US! Dale
Amen!
Wow, thanks for posting this! My husband (Chris Cerf) in fact wrote that song (and is in that documentary). The academic lesson for children at the time was: Sometimes you have to stop doing one thing in order to do another thing. Spot on that the song is also about Letting Go of the things we might think we need, or cling to, that in fact get in our way (including judgment, prejudices, etc.) Thanks for the shout-out about one of my Beloved’s most loved songs.
Well, how cool is that! It’s a GREAT song!
And he’s a truly great guy, happy to say. They had all the Sesame guests sing parts of the refrain over the years and put together very funny segments with these people (Madeleine Kahn, Jeremy Irons, NY sports guys, Danny DiVito and Rhea Perlman, etc.) enjoying and expanding the song. Chris is still a rock’n’roller who did, back in the day, tons of their parody songs (“Born To Add,” etc.) I am a big fan of YOUR books and have had lots of magical experiences thanks to you.
Oh, that is so cool! That’s an amazing song and the whole video and all the people it featured was amazing! Adding it to my mindset repertoire!
A Pop-up Possibility Posse with Pam? Sounds amazingly awesome!
I’ll try to attend!
Happy New Year, Y’all!
xox
Pamela Joy
Would love to attend – will a link be sent? John Brodie, PositiVibes.net
OMG! I had so much fun watching the video! I shared the song and your wisdom with my Facebook family. 🙂
A great concept as we get ready for 2022 💝
Happy new Year 🥳 Pam G! Amazingly 🤩 awesome things will happen to all of us in 2022! Xoxo 😘 Yvette
“Put down the Duckie” is going to be my reminder mantra in 2022- to let go of all those things getting in the way of doing, saying, thinking, feeling and being whatever I want to be, feel, think, say and do!! Yeah!! Thanks for sharing the video – it’s a fabulous song with such a groovy catchy tune so it’s going to be fun to remind myself to “put down the Duckie” every chance I get! And interestingly, Sesame Street has a special place in my heart as it was one of my favourite programs as a child. In fact my sister Kerrie and I call each other Ernie and Bert to this day. She’s Ernie, and in my phone contacts she’s listed as Ernie, not Kerrie! So yeah, Ernie the muppet is extra special to me, and this song is going to be very helpful in my quest to let go of all I no longer need and all that is holding me back from fully expressing who I truly am. Thankyou Pam for another inspiring post, and for encouraging us to “put down the Duckie” in 2022 so we can all have an amazingly awesome New Year! Amen!
Pam, wishing you and everybody a 2022 full of love and magic! Thank you so much for everything you do!
Hi Pam,
What a great share! I loved the first line, this queue by Gail Benner is my all-time favorite. I wonder how you get these thoughts. I really love how your articles and thoughts are inspired by simple activities. Thanks for sharing your amazing story with us, it was not only a great read, but it also inspired me to leave the duckie behind in 2022. I really hope you have a great year ahead, and I get to read more of your inspiring articles in the next years as well.
So fun to watch! Is there a link for pop up?
Happy New Year! Thank you!💓
What a great new year’s resolution, Pam! Me too. And that song is so catchy it will be easy to remember. Thanks as always for your positive energy!
Happy New Year dear Pam, Taz and everyone here! Gosh this song is such a wonderful start into the New Year! I have never heard it before – what a catchy tune!!! Thanks so much, you really made my day!!!! x