“The knowledge of how to joyfully live simply is still within us. Stand still, stop running, just BE.”—Robert Wolff
So I collect stories about people of a certain age who still bike, dance, hike up mountains. For example, I once wrote about Lou Batori, a Hungarian-born aeronautical engineer who skied (he even had his own parking space at Crystal Mountain Resort) until he was 107. When I met him, he was only 100 and was getting ready to take a cross country motorcycle trip with his new bride (she was in her 80’s) sitting in a sidecar.
Then there was “Papa” Jack Weil who showed up every morning, sat at his little wooden desk in the front of the Denver Western wear store he started six decades earlier. As he said, “I check the obits in the paper and if my name’s not there, I head to work.”
Clint Eastwood is the latest to make my collection. At 92, he’s starring in a documentary that dropped a week or so ago called “Why on Earth?” Someone asked him how he found the stamina to keep making movies, to keep coming up with new projects.
“Well,” he explained, “An old man knocks at my door every morning, but I refuse to let him in.”
That’s kinda how I feel about my ego that tries to jump in every morning with a report on all things going wrong. Its entire mission, it seems to me, is to diminish the gift of life’s wildly perfect moments, to override the benevolent, radical abundance of reality.
It waits for that first moment of consciousness, squawking desperately “put me in. put me in.” It always wants to be in the game, to run the show, to block the sweetness of my one short life.
So every morning, before the ego can get too carried away, I attempt to disqualify it.
“I hear you,” I say. (It never hurts to acknowledge it). “But today, you and your message of fear and scarcity are going to sit on the sidelines. I have way too many wonderful gifts to notice today, gifts that, if you have your way, will sadly be obscured. Life is too short to miss even a moment of all that goodness. So here’s your red shirt. Sit quietly on the bench while I enjoy.” #222 Forever!
Pam Grout is the author of 20 books including E-Squared, E-Cubed, Thank & Grow Rich and her latest, The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World).
27 Responses
AMEN SISTA!!!!!
Amen and pass the hallelujah!
Thanks so much—I love reading and playing with all of the excercises in your books; having amazing results from the most recent one. Thank you for being the Universe’s decoder ring for the Course!
Now that’s a compliment! I’ve always wanted to be the Universe’s decoder ring!
Thank you for always sharing such wonderful
Moments.
Love this one!! Perfect timing!! As always 🥰🌻 🦔
Thank you, my wonderfully talented musical friend!
What would we do without you????????!!!!!!!💞💞💞💞
What would I do without you???
Love, love, love this! I have printed out your morning speech to your ego and will read it every day!
You’re so sweet, Hazel!
Needed to hear this, too! THANKS!!! 222
What a powerful and inspiring message, Pam. Thank you so much!
I write these for me, because I need the reminders!!
You’re “GOT” it, Pam. You fully understand, and have generously helped to share your deep insights, with regard to what we’re telling ourselves. For me, every day, I take in the following affirmation on my bathroom mirror: “I Am not vibrant perfect health, youthful and fit through and through, from head to toe.” And–I believe it with feeling.
Great work, young healthy gal! Please keep bringin’ it!
Um……Source!
Thank you Pam! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you Pam! It’s a clone message!
Perfect for today and the today’s to come!!!
Once again Awesome Pam shows up with awesomeness…
With Love
Kate in Carmel
Kate in Carmel, I send love back to you!!!
Thank you for this wonderful reminder to be grateful for today and every moment in it!
LAURIE!!! Love to see your name in my comments!
Your words always seem to be exactly what I need, when I see I have a post from you in by ‘inbox’ Thank you for all the good you have taught me that is available to all who open to receiving it.
Thank YOU for all your kind kudos!
Love this Pam❤️
Thank you🙏🏼
You’re so welcome!
The voice of gloom and doom visits me on and off all day. I choose to drown out that voice with every positive thought and happening I can think of, to remind myself of all the good in my life and good to come. I live in an immersion of the highest and best good. That “voice” of gloom and doom I assume is supposed to be a warning voice while I am in the physical, one to save my life. However, there is a supreme voice with higher vibrational wisdom that is my shield and buckler. I turn to that voice when I need to remind myself of the truth of my being.