“You can’t go wrong if you’re dancing, singing or laughing.”—Betty Shaffer
My 90-year-old friend Betty was taking a nice, hot bubble bath last week. She rarely locks her door, but for some reason she did that morning and for some reason, her boyfriend, who had left earlier, came back to retrieve something he’d left behind.
Betty, of course, wasn’t wearing her hearing aids, so when her beau knocked, she didn’t hear him. She was blissfully oblivious that he was outside her door, panicked and banging furiously
He rushed to the apartment office, explained his dilemma, his intense alarm that something horrible had transpired.
They hurried back to her door, clumsily inserted the key and threw open the door to find a completely nude Betty dancing with wild abandon.
I love this story for two reasons. It shows how unfounded most of our fears are. It demonstrates how quick we are to assume the worst and to forget that life is always working out for us.
The other tale relates to our bodies and how we perceive them, how we decide certain things about how they should work, how they age. We listen to medical doctors who sole job is to look for problems and pretend to have answers, some of which, of course, are really helpful.
I just wish more of them knew that our bodies are simply condensed energy providing a vessel in which our spirits can express and grow. Our culture tells these bodies what they should do, what their limits are, who they should love. Docs even provide statistics and predictions on how they should react to various calendar years.
Sadly, most of us are at war with our bodies, wanting them to look different, be a different size.
But as Betty demonstrates, a body is simply something to enjoy while you’re lucky enough to have it. From what I can tell, they’re here for us to notice and relish beauty. And, when we can, to use for dancing, singing and laughing.
Betty, by the way, is my friend who when she hears someone’s body is perhaps on the way out, is quick to think, “Oh, I’m so excited for them.”
I love you all and I love your bodies. Hope you use them to see something beautiful today.
#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)
36 Responses
I love you Pam!!!!
And I love YOU!!!!
Wonderful story! I saw this yesterday and instantly knew it was for you: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6R8y8gyAW3/
Let’s keep laughing, dancing, and bathing in the beauty of life together <3
Thanks, I’ll check it out.
Thank you for reminding me. Love from Texas.
Love flying south to Texas from two states above.
Dear Pam, I love this!! Viva la 222 forever 💝💝💝💝💝
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
And soon- may the Fourth ne With You – Because it is 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
With Love, Teija and Pelonteet 💝💝💝💝💝
Love you!!!
Dear Pam
I do sing every cell in my body is happy, every cell in my body is well. Thank you for that email.
Also watched the Ultimate light with Lucy Grace. Thank you. Marvellous.
Thank you for your constant inspiration. I Begged the Mystery this week for a miracle healing for a dear soul. Her first daughter died at age 3. She became pregnant years later with another girl, she gave birth last week. The mother the following week ended up in the hospital with bleeding on the brain. She is stable today.
It’s a great song! Lucy is marvelous and represents the ultimate light that we’re each made from.
Betty reminds me of my great grandmother. She was an eccentric woman who drove like a race car driver and dressed like there were no rules. She wore huge floppy hats and earrings adorned with bright diamonds. (She explained to me that most people would not classify her rocks as diamonds, but to her they were and she loved wearing them)
She sold greeting cards from door to door.
My perfect day as a little one was to go selling with her. Street after street we walked, holding hands and singing songs as loud as we felt the urge.
She was beautiful in my eyes. I’m quite sure that somewhere in this limitless Universe grandmother is selling her cards in the sky. I once wrote a poem titled “Grandmother Selling her Cards in the Sky.”
She left the planet when she was 101. She was bossy in her own right until that day, assuring everyone “it’s just a number and you need to get over it.” 🙂 I feel as though she has never left me.
Thank you Pam for reminding me of this divine memory!
Kate
I love your Grandmother already!!!
Gosh I needed this. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
So glad to help!
Talk about nail on the head! This exactly what I needed to read and inhale, at this perfect time. Thank you for sharing.
So it was you that requested I write this. Glad it hit the nail!
Só beautiful, Pam! I love you!
And, Sheila, you know what I’m about to say. I love you, too!
What a wonderful story and message. Go Betty! A beacon of light for us all!
Indeed she is!
I needed this!!! I found myself knocking my body to someone I ran into– which is not how I want to be.
So, love the image!
Our bodies are the expression of life and, despite their appearance, are nothing but a gift.
I love this for all the reasons!!
Yes, ALL the reasons!
That’s hilarious! Thank you for the laugh.
Yes, Betty, gave me permission to share her story!!!
Drop everything. Turn around. Surprise! Love Party in the Universe!
Oh Pam what a fabulous story- love Betty, love you 💕😘
How wonderful! So inspiring. Tonight while I have the chance I will go listen to a three piece band and maybe even dance! 💃
What a delightful story! I love it! And I love that quote by someone called Pam Grout. She’s pretty switched on and wise I reckon. 😁 Thanks, too, for the reminder that our bodies are our wonderful tool for enjoying all the gifts life has to offer. Sadly I have been at war with my body most of my life but how silly is that?! What a waste of energy! Instead I think it’s time to get up and dance as if no one is watching, and, if someone happens to fling open the door, give them a joyful show! 😄 On that happy note I’m going to dance my way to the kitchen for another cup of delicious tea. 💃🫖☕️😁 Thank you Pam for your uplifting post. I wish you a wonderful day. 🦋🍄🌼🦜🧡
I love this bc I know Betty and it made me LOL. Thanks Pam for always entertaining and inspiring me! Robin J.
What an amazing story Pam…thank you for sharing
Engaging the hate and anger caused, in part, by people’s traumatic experiences, we seek the soul centered love, caring, knowledge and wisdom that will free them and us.
As one that has been at war with my body my entire life, what a beautiful reminder of the gift that it is. Thank you Pam.
Love this sooo much! Thank you, Pam…and Betty!
Loved this. I’m reaching “that age” and it made me feel better already!!