“To focus only upon doom is to become demonically obsessed, single-pointed and blind to the miraculous, the compassionate, and the fantastic.”—Elizabeth Gilbert
Happy Tuesday, beautiful people! I decided this might be a good day to send out some love, to spread some good news and to remind myself (and anybody who happens to listen in) that anything is possible.
I’ve always viewed my writing as a way to sound the gong, throw the confetti, share stories that prove most of what we take for actual fact is a singular superposition in a field of infinite potentialities.
With that in mind, here are a couple stories that recently came my way:
Jelly Roll, before he was Jelly Roll, had, shall we say, a few run-ins with the law. In fact, by the time he was 15, he’d been convicted of armed robbery and, to this day, has a felony on his record.
Back then, he says, he was mad at life, mad at everybody. He was convinced he was a victim, believed every problem was somebody else’s fault.
It wasn’t until he finally decided to look at, as he says, “The Man in the Glass” that his life started to shift. When he began to recognize that he himself was creating it all, that he had the power to change his perspective, his entire world cracked wide open.
Today, he’s not only a Grammy-winning superstar, but he’s devoted his life to changing himself, making amends and helping others see the blamelessness within themselves. In fact, if you haven’t already, check out his amazing testimony to Congress:
The story that caught my eye is one that proves the Course in Miracles tenet that says: “The holiest of all spots on earth is where an ancient hatred has become a present love.”
Today, Jelly Roll and the prosecutor who first convicted him have teamed up to create a program for at-risk and incarcerated youth in Tennessee’s Davidson County. These former enemies are now respected, loving colleagues. He has also become tight with the very sheriff who first locked him up in county jail.
So whatever enemy you think you have (for me, it’s often myself), just know that an open mind and being willing to take full responsibility can restore everything to wholeness, to a present love.
Second story pits statistics and probability against possibility. It involves a couple who tried for years to have a baby. They did the shots, the treatments, everything medical science could think to do.
Finally, their doctor threw up his hands and said, “I’m sorry. It’s not going to work. Your eggs are bad. You’re too old. Go to the adoption place. Here’s a flyer.”
They were about to adopt a baby from Honduras, were busy filling out the forms, getting the life insurance, doing the requisite blood work, when a phlebotomist came to their house and happened to ask, “Now, why am I taking your blood?”
When told the story about how the wife couldn’t get pregnant, the phlebotomist said, “Stop. Just stop.”
He took the guy’s hands, looked him in the eye and proceeded to do some kind of incantation.
After a few, “God is good. God is good,” he said, “It’s all done. Don’t worry about it. In a few months, your wife is going to tell you she’s pregnant.
“You don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to tell your wife. It’s done.”
Three months later, his wife is pregnant. And, yes, they had a beautiful baby girl.
So folks, whatever story you believe to be true, whatever statistic seems like rock solid fact, never forget that, behind the scenes, there’s a bigger reality going on.
The world with which we’re most familiar (being a human, living in a body) pales in comparison to the infinite, utterly indescribable presence that’s just waiting to restore all that we’ve foolishly thrown away.
#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)
21 Responses
I saw a meme post today about a child who kept emergency confetti in their pocket in case someone had good news. Then your post popped up in my feed. I think the Universe is gently nudging me toward an attitude adjustment. 🙂
Hi Pam, I’m so grateful for the part about Jelly Roll’s complete transformation. I am just starting the ACIM workbook and I have absolutely understood now that my thoughts, and only my thoughts, perceive the world I see. Now I must embody this immediately, and take control of myself for the first time in my life. Thank you for all you do to wake me up from my stupor.
I love everything you write Pam Grout!
It brings me so much joy to read your posts 🙏peace and blessings to you and all your readers ✨
Thank you, Pam. Once again you have shown a light 🕯️ in just a few words. A Light that I needed SO much today. How did you know???? YOU are PERFECT!!!!! 😍💞😍😍😍
For me on the other side it is Wednesday.
Concentrate on a happy one!
Great blog post. Love those good news stories. All things are possible.
When I lived in a mobile home in El Cajon, I started to study your books. I wanted to do an errand. I was behind a pick up truck with a bumper sticker about Christian warriors. I had a moment of clarity. I grew up in the Northern Conservative Baptist church. When I was young, and not scared out of my mind, I knew the teaching was not the Truth. It was some person’s idea of the truth. When I saw the bumper sticker on the back of the truck, I knew my early training was horse poop.
I believe I always knew that. At the moment of clarity, I really knew that.
Pam, I am here to say I love you!
Simply… I love you 🥰 Pam Grout
Great message as always, Pam. Right, friends?
Oh, I like that coffee shop sign… A LOT… and your encouraging words, too, of course (as always)! BTW, today’s epigraph reminded me that I thought of you when Liz Gilbert talked about two-way prayer on a recent visit with Tim Ferriss’ podcast, and here’s a six-minute clip in case you haven’t heard it…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G9gvqqz4dM
…aptly titled “Dear Love, What Would You Have Me Know Today?” 💙🌎❤️🕊️ Happy Tuesday, Pam!
I love you, Pam
Your words bring me joy today
with Pam Grout Forever !!! and Thank you
😍😍😍
Ooh I do love your posts Pam. Always a treat. Much love ❤️
Thank you so much for your post today Pam.
I needed a reminder of how I create my world!
These are wonderful stories, though I do hope the second couple still went through with the adoption.
Thankyou Pam for ‘Sounding the Gong’ and ‘throwing the confetti” so delightfully and with so much love and joy. Your words are a rich blessing upon all of us here who follow your blog and/or read your books, and I am so grateful for the way you help to lift us up and see life through eyes of love instead of fear. Thank you for the stories of hope today, and for inspiring us to give a little ‘more amor’ to everything and everyone on our path. 🥰
Heaps of love from me to you dear Pam. 🤗💛🧡❤️🩷💜💙🩵😘
Pam please do an after the election note. There are a lot of heavy hearts out here. Sending a hug .
Linda D.💫
Thanks Pam for your beautifully inspiring reminders of who we really are! Love your work 💛
Love both stories – we need more of this to remember there are so many positive things happening out there. Given the political situation in your country as well as in mine (Germany) and many others, we must never give up hope, even if sometimes we think things won’t change for the better. Have a lovely weekend Pam and all readers ❤️🕊️