“The field doesn’t need to be reached or earned. It needs only to be recognized.”—Cynthia Li
I spent last week in the mountains of Colorado. At dinner, on our first night there, the chef presented us with a delightful and unexpected amuse-bouche.
Translated from French, it means “an amusement for your mouth.” They’re small, whimsical culinary creations, never listed on the menu. Instead, an amuse-bouche is a free gift from the chef to a) make you feel special and b) to show off his or her talents.
All day, every day, I notice, life presents me with amuse-bouches, unexpected little joys that cost me nothing and showcase its bounty.
That’s the whole premise of the A.A. 2.0 program that I showcased in Thank and Grow Rich: a 30-day Experiment in Shameless Gratitude and Unabashed Joy.
I still practice it every single morning. When you start looking for treasure (because, well, your possibility posse is waiting to hear the brand new things you’re grateful for), amuse-bouches pop up everywhere.
When you put on the magic hat of gratitude, the gifts become too many to list.
I almost had to pinch myself on this trip to Colorado. The number of improbable and wonderous amuse-bouches began multiplying like Mickey’s broom in the Sorcerer’s Apprentice: the night sky without man-made light (I’d forgotten how many stars there are), the tiny adaptions of flowers above the tree line, the stunning beauty of mountain lakes, meeting just the right people giving just the right restaurant recommendations at just the right time.
I’ll close with an amuse-bouche shared yesterday by my Spanish maestra. Thanks to an early freeze, the peach trees on her farm lost their blossoms, taking all hope of a summer crop.
One evening last week, she noticed her mouth watering. She really, really, really wanted a big, fat, juicy durazno (that’s peach in Espanol), but, hey, her crop had failed and she lives in the country, miles from a grocery store. However, when she walked outside to look at the moon, there, on a branch of the peach tree nearest her house, hung a single, big, fat, juicy peach.
Did she summon it with her desire? Or was it an amuse-bouche lovingly presented by the creator of all magic?
#222 Forever!
Pam Grout is the author of 22 books including E-Squared, Thank & Grow Rich , The Course in Miracles Experiment: A Starter Kit for Rewiring Your Mind (And Therefore Your World)and her latest, The Ego’s Playbook.
33 Responses
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
You’re welcome. You’re welcome. You’re welcome!
She did summon it with her desire!
It had to figure in!!
What a joyous reminder! Thank you!
My pleasure!
Oh these glorious stories keep me in awe! Thank you Pam, for leading by your shining example!
E2 changed my life. After the fun assignments, I got crazy & manifested a colorful tree frog in the middle of a snowy winter. Then I got bold &, within 24 hours, manifested a beautiful car that I still drive 150k miles later.
And I will never forget the manifestation program you & Mike Dooley led together. Each day, we were given a specific thing to manifest. And each day, I ran across the designated item with great joy.
Then the assignment came to manifest “a woman in a funny hat”. Since I live in a rural area, I thought “HA! Good luck with this one, Universe!”. At the last minute, I had to go to the grocery store (45 min each way), & totally forgot about the manifest task. Upon leaving the store, I stopped at a table selling little poppy flower pins for veterans. When the gal selling them came into view, I laughed out loud.
Her name was Susan and she allowed me to take a photo. Soooo wish I could post it here for you to enjoy!! Suffice it to say, the manifestation continued!
Thank you again for your shining example to embody the magic of the Universe! You are changing lives in every good way!! Sending much gratitude & love 💖
Wow! I am honored by your kind thoughts! Thank you!!
It always seems that I am given just what I need right at the time I need it. I could write a book of all the times when that has happened. Yesterday I spotted my now favorite bumper sticker (till the next one shows up).
It said – Be Kind. We are all idiots.
Of course then I had to go right out and prove it. I laughed in delight all day.
I LOVE that bumper sticker.
Thanks Pam!
Love this stuff!!!
Me, too!
Perfect!!!!
It all is!! Everything!
I found this poem a long time ago and say it every morning when I wake up just to give my gratitude a good start.
I’m thankful for the wind and rain. I’m thankful for the sun. I’m thankful for all the wonderful things I have now and all the things to come. Each day when I awake and start my day I’m thankful for all the miracles that will come my way. Show me the miracles!
Beautiful!! A worthy early morning prayer! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Pam, for this wonderful metaphor for savoring all the delicious bites presented to us!
I love the itty-bitty bites and the big juicy ones, too!
I simply love your stories Pam. True gifts!! Thank you. Here’s to all the wondrous things just waiting for us. xx ❤️❤️
Here’s to wonderous things!
Thank you for this delightful and wonderful message that reminds us to look for and recognise all the gifts, blessings, and ‘amuse-bouchés’ that are everywhere for us to behold and enjoy if only we will open our hearts and minds to them. 🥰 I love the picture of “The Worst Western Hotel” – hilarious! We have Best Western Hotels in Australia too so the joke makes sense to me. 😄 The quote by Cynthia Li is perfect and just what I need to be reminded of. So thank you Pam! Have a wonderful day! ⭐️💃✨🌹🌟
Love you, Jenny Louise!
Thank you always delighting me! Thank you, for reminding me, by way of my little ‘ol inbox … what truly matters.
Inboxes present incomparable delights!!
There is always a least one daily amuse bouche (if not more!) given by the Universe. That little wink of “ah, there you go.” So delicious.
I’m so grateful for unending reminders, signs and blessings!
Just to let you know Pam, that your writings just get better now we have French and Spanish in the same note!
life is so full of joy and the little French thingies. We simply have to open up our perspective to see. ❤️
Si, mi amiga!!!
Pam, I love you!
Would you care to share where you were in Colorado ……… looking for a little escape myself 🙂
Thank you 🙏
I am Very Grateful for your posts…♥️
For some reason I found this article this morning. I confess I was a little grumpy about this post, even though I love your work, since I’m single and wish I could go on holiday with a partner. I know, I need to work on that. I had set no conscious intentions. On the way back from Pilates this morning I saw a license plate next to me that said 2222AHA. More amuse-bouches to come, I’m sure…Thanks as always for the inspiration.
Hi Pam
Lovely to get your emails. You both look cozy in the beautiful background.
Off and on reading The Egos Playbook. I am reading it in snippets. I am a mother of three and grandmother of seven children. Thank you.
My bathroom time is my quick read time
Plus a book in my bag.
Where do I buy your 3.5 x 3.5 book
Thank you
Marianne