“If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick every day.”—Leonard Cohen
Albert Einstein is reported to have said that the most important decision anyone can make is whether or not they live in a friendly universe.
One of the gazillion reasons I practice what I call ferocious gratitude is because it allows me to live in a friendly universe. It enables me to see every person as a friend, every situation as happening for my good.
It grants me the privilege of stepping out into the world expecting things to always work out for me. No matter how it might appear.
I’ve been thinking about my early travel days before cell phones provided we wayfarers with non-stop contact, GPS and all sorts of perceived safeguards.
No matter what situation I found myself in, things had a way of always working out. Even the time I landed in Germany without knowing how to reach the friend I was staying with. Or the time I lost my motorcycle key in the Greek ocean. Or the time I was left in the middle of the north island of New Zealand by a boyfriend who decided he didn’t like me anymore.
I’m not suggesting I didn’t panic a time or two. Especially in countries that converse in different languages. But always, 100 percent of the time, it worked out.
What I now know for sure is that there is a life force that always looks out for me. Like today’s Course lesson says, “I am safe in a world which protects me and loves me.”
This force, this guidance, this love will never abandon me. And the only reason some of you might be rolling your eyes and sarcastically thinking, “Right, Pam” is because you don’t yet trust how supremely loved you are.
Fear is the ONLY THING that can ever get in the way of this non-stop loving care. Worry, disbelief and all its mean girl cousins can block the awareness. But it’s never not available.
Once you come to trust this fact your whole life changes. You know that everything you could ever need will be rolled out before you like a gorgeous Persian carpet.
Last summer, when I was in Spain, my sister, my Mister and I lost the keys to our apartment. This is something I’m known to do, but let’s just say my compadres freaked out just a tad little bit. We were at the beach, we had left our phones, our money, our credit cards in the apartment and well, nobody on that beach in southern Spain spoke anything but their native language. And my months of Duolingo hadn’t covered, “Help! I’m currently penniless in your country.”
For a short frantic time, as we pawed through the sand, I was pretty curious how we were going to access our place again. Especially since the phone number of the mighty companions who had so generously offered us their beautiful pad on the beach was dutifully entered in the cell phones back in the apartment. They were in Canada, we knew no one else, and, well, all rational reasonable people would have believed we were screwed.
Except I had a quiet confidence (from years of accessing that friendly universe) that somehow this, too, would work out.
Eventually, of course, like Max from the Where the Wild Things Are, we sailed across years, across days and back into our very own apartment where–maybe not hot dinner–but our phones, our money and our credit cards were waiting for us.
We might think these man-made conveniences provide some sort of safety net. But truly, friends, our real security, our real peace of mind come from the ever-so beneficent universe that waits patiently for us to release our fears and come back home.
Once again, dear mighty companions, have the very best, the most astonishing weekend of your lives!!
#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)
42 Responses
This is absolutely perfect. And perfectly timed for me. So so true, fear and worry is what blocks and hinders us, all of those unseen energies that hold power over us. I so needed this right now here in Vietnam, where minor health concerns have been holding me a bit captive. Thanks Pam for the shake up. And I loved your story. Yes, everything always works out. Big love and gratitude your way. 🙏💗
Those minor health concerns? Pshaw! You are a child of a most magnificent universe!
Thank you Pam! I love you.
Kate
Carmel by the Sea Ca
And I love YOU!
As always, thank you for the pearls❤️
It is my great pleasure!!! Enjoy your pearls!!
I love you, Pam Grout!
And I love you, David Macclure.
Thank you!! Awesome story and reminder. When will you tell us how the universe got you back into the apartment?
But what happened Pam? How did you get back in the apartment?
See the P.S. in my answer to Mark.
I seem to be summoned by the universe to reveal the rest of the story. In lieu of writing a whole other post, I explained the miraculous events that worked it all out in my answer to Mark, above or below or somewhere in these replies.
It would be interesting to know HOW you managed to get back in your apartment!
I was going to add an addendum because several people asked, so the rest of the story is revealed in my answer to Mark.
Oh yes — so spot on, Pam. Years back I flew to Poland on an assignment for my newspaper. I did not speak Polish except for a few words like yes, no, please. On the flight there I accidentally stepped on my eyeglasses and broke them. Poland, under Communist rule at the time, did not have quick-fix eyeglass shops! I went the entire time without seeing clearly in a country where every sign to this American seemed written only in consonants. When I had to report on the pope going from Gdynia to Gdansk I overslept in the hotel and my translator left without me. I was not only running late but had to somehow navigate taxis and trains in the midst of a million Poles all trying to get to Gdansk to see the pope. I even wound up going the wrong way on a train! Definitely harrowing but looking back I was completely taken care of by the Universe that, even though I was but a speck in an ocean of people, saw me, knew me, and provided for me — I even made my deadline, haha…I’ve got a million stories like this and I love your post here because it reminds me to focus on all the ways I have been seen, loved, and taken care of! Much love to you always #222
Yes, it’s so important to share these stories. First of all, to remember them, to savor them, to remind ourselves of how nothing is ever wrong except for in the turbulence of our thoughts.
nice column, but am I missing how you got back in the apt. found your keys?
The rest of the story is revealed in my answer to Mark. Read below or above or wherever it is. It was a great story, orchestrated before it even happened.
Fantastic! So true! THANK YOU, Pam! I love you!
And I love YOU!!!
Would LOVE to know how you were able to return to the apartment.
See my reply to Mark below or above or however this works.
This post couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m in Germany airport waiting for my flight back to UK. I’ve had a few days on my own here on a cultural visit, particularly to see the wall, which I did.
The whole trip has gone very smoothly as it usually does, but I have been totally out of my comfort zone and admit to feeling panicky sometimes. But as always the universe has came up trumps and delivered an epic trip where my main thing was going up to strangers and saying ‘excuse me’ and without doubt each person helped me. We do live in a friendly universe for sure. Just don’t forget it, like I did a few times. But sitting here I know that like your trips Pam it was perfect.
Thank you x
That recognition makes all the difference.
Your emails always come on the right day as if you had written them for me! At the young age of 52 I to know that no matter what happens things will always work to my advantage! And I am cared for and deeply loved by The Universe (which I call God, being brought up in a Baptist Church). But my thoughts and thinking about the Universe has changed so much and I so appreciate it when I see one of your emails! I know it will echo something I believe and know deep within my soul! Please keep them coming! They’re like a lighthouse for some lost ships looking to avoid the rocky shores!
Wow! Thank you for this kind message. And I sometimes call the universe God, too. I like having LOTS of synonyms in my pocket.
I feel cheated! How did you resolve the
issue and get back into the apartment???
That’s the part that’s really cool. A few days before the “incident,” we had met a woman named Pilar in the elevator. She lived in the same building and while we couldn’t “really” communicate, we gestured, we smiled and we made it clear we were friendly.
Another woman I’d befriended (also the week before) at the tourism booth told us that sometimes in rare occasions, the local apartment buildings elected one person to hold copies of the keys for all the apartments.
So out of the 30 or so apartments in our building, we had “met” one of our neighbors. I felt guided to push her button at the security gate even though we had no idea if she was home, if she’d remember us or even if our less-than-perfect Spanish could explain our situation. Maybe if we were lucky, she would know if there was such a person with extra keys?
Pilar happened to be home, happened to remember the weird Americans she’d met in the elevator and tada–happened to be the one person who had the keys. Thank you, universe, for coming through for me….once again.
That’s why the story was so miraculous. It was orchestrated way before it even happened.
Love it. People cross our paths for a reason and everything happens for a reason 🙂
Pam, it’s always a treat to hear from you! Thank you. Great story of how you got back into your locked apartment! Thank you for reminding us that this is indeed a very friendly universe!!!!!!!! Peace and blessings, everyone, everywhere!
I love this story!! And I’m so glad you shared the resolution in the comments because that is the best bit!! How amazing and bizarre that the very lady you had ‘met’ was the very lady who had the keys and whose apartment number you rang!! Except of course that what we call amazing and bizarre and coincidence is really just this wonderful power that connects us all – ‘God’ or ‘The Dude’ or ‘The Universe’ or whatever you want to call it. It’s not bizarre that these things happen. It’s how it IS. It’s just that most of us (me included) either don’t realise it yet or don’t quite believe or trust it. (Or we keep forgetting it! 😬😄) Your wonderful story reminds me that we actually don’t ever need to fear anything. That if we truly know and remember that the universe IS friendly and that we all have the means to connect to whatever we need in every moment via our intuition or a gut feeling or straight out asking the universe for help then and there, then we CAN get that help. Always. YES!! Wooohooooo!!! Thank you so much for the reminder dear Pam!!! It seems I need constant reminders of these wonderful truths. (And isn’t that good because it means your posts are making a wonderful difference to me, and to all of us here who need your reminders 😄) Have a fabulous weekend yourself dear Pam! 🥳🎈🎉❤️🌼
Every time I read your messages I am reminded of life’s IMMENSE generosity… I try to live this way but I’m forever grateful for your wonderful uplifting messages
As always you deliver the right words at the right time 🥰
Thank you Pam, for the reminders. Being kind has its rewards. Being friendly to all we meet with a smile. The lady remembered you.
Dear Pam, Your words, your truths always speak directly to my soul. Thank you once again for starting my day with Peace in my heart.
i’m kind of new to you pam and am dealing with lots of fear about chronic illness that is very debilitating. finding it a challenge to break through the anxiety that courses through my body.
What if your health concerns aren’t minor? i’m having trouble with lots of fear.
having trouble with a health concern that isn’t minor. filled with anxiety
I’m glad Mr. Mark expressed my feelings too! I had no doubt the Universe would take care of you, but was really wanting the details! And they were just great! Love how that happens. Thank you Pam.
Oh Boy!!! I really loved this glorious statement of the beneficence of this world. Thank you, Pam!!!
This reminds me of a time we wanted to connect with a person I had worked with many years prior, however when we arrived in his area we discovered his phone number had been changed. I checked with a mutual friend, she had the same number. Then the newspaper online to see if he was having any art shows and it mentioned a gallery. While driving to the gallery, we pulled up at a red light. I looked to my right and their was our friend walking down the street! The universe works in marvelous ways!
Thanks Pam, the mighty Universe answered a question I had. brought me peace of mind and energy to keep on working on my belief systems and change them, looking for neuroplasticity to start working on me, haha. Love from Mexico City, a follower for many years now. XoXo