E-Squared:  The 10-year anniversary edition (with a Manifesting Scavenger Hunt!!) GET IT HERE
Facebook-square Twitter-square Rss-square

Welcome to the sidewalk joy map!

“To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health or our circumstances. We must try.” – Roger Ebert

Rachael and one of her own mini-joy producers.

I hadn’t planned to write a post today, mainly because I’m in the throes of my next book deadline.

But then I read this article about the Portland Sidewalk Joy Map and, well, since it’s my sworn mission to share this kind of astounding and important news, I couldn’t help myself.  

Here’s the scoop:

Rachael Harms Mahlandt is an artist who curates mini-yard installations created solely for the purpose of spreading a moment of joy to people walking by.

In her hometown of Portland, she has found more than 130 of these sidewalk art exhibits including a rubber duckie exchange, a pollinator seed bank (created in honor of a rescued bumble bee named Harriet), a thimble exchange and 10 tiny hand-cranked music boxes. She created a map for others to also enjoy these secret interactive exhibits and recently branched out to make a map of such installations around the world.

I love this story so much because it’s real news, truthful news. It’s how the world really is when you look beneath the collective focus on turbulence.

I choose not to give my precious energy to the tumultuous story. Because I know that by training my attention on beauty and blessings, I generate more of what I most want to see.

I have been working my self-designed A.A. 2.0 program for more than 12 years, texting daily blessings to my possibility posse. Every single day, I use my superpower of attention to identify moments of love, peace and creativity.  

Thought I’d share a sampling from the past few days:

**I appreciate the joy of finding full-formed green beans (it happens, it seems, overnight) in my garden, how their magical appearance reminds me of manifestation (one day they’re not there, the next day they are) and how Source can use anything to remind me of its benevolence.

**I appreciate the yogurt drain pipe I rigged up for our water barrel, the yellow finch feasting on coneflowers outside my front window and Friday lunches with Bekka.

**I appreciate fun convo at Clio on and Leo (it’s a local coffee shop) with fellow North Lawrence voters, taking Azul to her first big concert at the Midland (an old vaudeville theater in Kansas City ) and riding the free trolleys from Crown Center to River Market and back.

**I appreciate community meals at the Sunrise Project, Kansas songwriters at Northside Social and long chat with my sis.

Outside the Sunrise Project where I enjoy twice-monthly community meals.

**I appreciate my always willing meditation partner, that an L.A. DJ gave E-Squared a fabulous shoutout and finding a book I’ve long wanted in the local free book library.

So that’s my public service announcement for today, friends. Love you all more than you’ll ever know.

#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)

25 Responses

  3. Today’s PSA, brought me more JOY than you can know, Dearest Pam!!! Perfect timing (but of course!)💕💕💕♥️💕💕💕♥️💕♥️💕💕

    Reply

  4. Pam, what a blessing that you decided to blog this morning!
    It’s so funny that, as you were posting, I was getting a quick walk in on my neighborhood sidewalk and soaking up the lemon-y sunshine, then came back in the house and read the post about sidewalk joy 😉
    Congratulations on the amazing shout out from L.A.
    I also just happen to have purchased ‘Thank and Grow Rich’ so I’m looking forward to working the 2 steps!
    Much love,
    Laurie Fulks

    Reply

  5. Thank you, Pam! I just clicked on your link to the Sidewalk Joy Map and read the article. Great stuff!
    It inspires me to share some AA 2.0 for the last couple days: I am grateful for a comedy movie,
    cool palm trees silhoutted in a sunset, free candy, squirrels having staring contests with me, a
    rad artwalk with free tequila and tons of funky art, some cool 1980’s Japanese movies in my
    streaming service, friendly butterflies, and bumping into some old friends!! I could go on and on!

    Reply

  7. Thank goodness, Pam, that you decided to accept that “sworn mission”; that you take it so seriously; and, that you do such a good job of helping us focus our thoughts on beauty and blessings. I thank you for your service! I’m also grateful to read that you’re on deadline for a new book. Happy Tuesday! ☺️

    Reply

  12. I passed through Kansas once in July 2019. I had been travelling from Scotland since January 2019 heading one way around the world for 10 months with no money just a song and a prayer ( and a credit card!) I had a one night stop in Kansas waiting on a friend to arrive from England. I walked from my airport hotel, caught a bus at the freeway into the centre of the city …was amazed at how cheap a day rider ticket was !!! It was like $3 or something. I trudged through the baking heat to wander around the art galleries was delighted to see “the spider” sculpture by Louise Bourgeois and trudged back for the bus back to the airport hotel. standing in doorways on the way to get out of the sun ( I’m scottish!) It was one of the most wonderful days of my whole trip. I would love to come back it just felt very arty and creative and a wee bit edgy but ladi back. When I have meditative dream state moments Its the feeling I had in Kansas that comes to mind, it really left an inprint in my mind more than any other place. Thank you I am grateful for that experience and that beautiful memory which in itself was nothing special but the feeling of that day has stuck. Maybe one day I’ll return.

    Reply

  13. Hi Pam. This is my first post. I wanted to thank you for writing so many great books. They continue to inspire me to practice all the things you mention and have helped me through some very difficult times lately. I wish I’d discovered you years ago, but at 79, I’m finding renewed energy, motivation, and hope from your ever present positivity sprinkled with a healthy dose of humor. Keep it up. The world needs you now more than ever! ❤️

    Reply

Leave a Reply to MiriamCancel reply

Discover more from Pam Grout

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading