Category Archives: gratitude

Guide to Gratitude

Let me express my sincere gratitude to each of you for continuing to follow my “Guide to Gratitude” through gratitudesquared.com. The featured image above is my hand drawn idea for this site that I sketched in February of 2021 when this site was launched.

I selected the term “gratitudesquared” because I believe that “gratitude” is multiplied when shared and experienced, and such has certainly been the case through this site. To date, after 174 posts, 6,759 views, and with 3,004 different visitors, and 128 followers throughout 64 countries, we (you with me) are sharing “gratitude” around us wherever we may live. I am so deeply touched by your comments, emails, texts, and conversations with me. Thank you.

If you look at my hand drawn idea above, you will see that when one gives “gratitude to another” it is a gentle exchange, a gift, something great or grand, may be God sent through all his/her glory, when two or more people gather together.

Further, that act of “giving gratitude” is often gleeful, gracious, grounded in some emotion, may cause growth on each other’s part, may be compared and contrasted with growing a garden of gratitude, and may be overseen and sent by God from one to another to accomplish a known or unknown purpose or goal.

Just think about that!

Gratitude is a free gift that we exchange with each other!

What have we learned about “Gratitude” within only one year? We have learned that gratitude is deeply personal and also shared. Gratitude may be fleeting or long lasting. Gratitude may be serious or fun. Gratitude stems from our moral values at times, but also emerges from momentary pleasure at other times.

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With Gratitude For The Grotto Of Lourdes, Bernadette, and Our Lady Mary, 11th February 1858 to 2022 On

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During the weekend of August 23, 2019, I had the opportunity to visit the Sanctuary of Lourdes in Lourdes France, where pilgrims and visitors, and the most vulnerable persons in our communities regularly have visited for 164 years, celebrating the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to the young girl, Bernadette (See the movie, The Song of Bernadette to learn the story). Today we celebrate this World Day of the Sick, as in 1993 Pope John Paul II established this Day at the Grotto where so many people find comfort and peace.

Please join me as we celebrate this Day each year on 11th February, with Gratitude.

Today Celebrate The World Day of the Sick, with Gratitude

#gratitudeultra

I’m So Grateful for Pumpkin. It Healed Me!

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For the past two days I could not keep anything in my stomach. I vomited everything I ate multiple times. It was horrible. My mom’s friend suggested I should eat pumpkin so I did. First, I started with a simple teaspoon, then a tablespoon, then I mixed pumpkin with a bit of food, and a bit more. Yeah….. I am so grateful for pumpkin. It healed my stomach. With gratitude… Thank you pumpkin!

#gratitudezero

I’m So Grateful To My Mother

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Today my mother would have been 97 years old. She was an amazing woman from a time gone by, yet her ideas and beliefs are so relevant to today. I feel so fortunate that she was my mother! Also, as I grow older, I realize how precious time is and how fast life moves for each of us. On my journey to “Gratitude” I need to constantly remind myself to “stop and smell the roses”, and to “make note of each day”. My mother’s poetry reminds me of this. Her poems titled, “Tomorrow Is Not Promised”, and “Do Not Hold a Hurt or Grudge”, as well some of the lines in her poetry, “I would not be blue because of you” and on and on teach us about Gratitude.

Recently, with my son’s help, we put my mother’s poetry online for everyone to see and listen to as my mom was videotaped reading some of her poetry. This is our free gift to all of you. Simply go to ahouseinsideofme.com and in the Table of Contents look for those poems marked (video) to see and hear Marian Elsie Blake in person.

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Grateful For Warmth of Fire

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Today a powerful winter snow and ice storm is sweeping across the United States with record snow falls and dangerous weather conditions such that there are power outages, businesses are closed, and cities are in a state of emergency. As we watch the weather reports and prepare for emergency situations in our homes, I am grateful for fire generated from candles, or fireplaces burning wood, gas, propane or other.

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Love The Day You’re In!

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I am watching the Nor’easter storm along the East Coast of North America today with projections of heavy snow and dangerous winds that will probably knock out power and cause flooding. Yet, I look out the window to see a soft blanket of beautiful fresh white snow covering my yard furniture. I have mixed feelings this day. Should I feel angry at the disruption that the snow may cause? Should I appreciate the quiet gentle cover before the storm ruins my day?

As I look at the window in the calm of day my memories flash back to the fun times I have had on my patio on those chairs at my table. Being a positive person, choosing to live in a State of Gratitude, as possible, I feel happy to see the untouched snow. I also feel fortunate to have so many good memories on that furniture under this snowfall.

I feel so grateful for each season, the good and the bad days within each season, and, most importantly, the memories I recall and share during each session with the people I love. Have gratitude today, and love the day you’re in!

#gratitudelite

Grateful For the People in My Neighborhood

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Remember Mr. Fred Rogers’ Neighborhood, the television show? This morning I felt like Mr. Rogers in my own neighborhood. I like to walk my dog around the Outlets where I live. Seems we have all been locked inside more than usual as we wait for the virus to go away and let us get our lives back to normal. I forced myself to get outside finally.

Today when I ventured outside for my typical morning walk, I noted that so many people greeted me! Seems we all missed speaking with each other, and exchanging brief stories or waves during the early morning hours. The staff at my local Starbucks came outside to say “good morning” to me as I waved at them through the window while passing by. The individual with his blower who works for the landscaping company stopped blowing the shrubs and trees, and ornamental flowers two times as I passed by. We each smiled and waved as we typically do each morning. While I have never talked with him, we always nod and wave as we pass by during the early morning, quiet hours in the Outlets. It felt so nice to see and greet everyone again. It seemed that we had missed each other during the recent months.

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Grateful to Share My Mother’s Wisdom Through Video/Audio with You

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I am pleased to share my mother’s wisdom (for free) with all of you. Since 2013 my mother’s words have been available in print in a book, in print on Kindle, and through an Apple iBook, under the title, A House Inside of Me, see Amazon. Over this winter holiday I was finally able to transfer actual video/audio files online, and place the entire book on ahouseinsideofme.com

My mother was a beloved storyteller, a special lady from a time gone by to transcend all time. As a minister’s wife for over 60 years, she was often called to speak at dedications, funerals, births, celebrations of life, Sunday morning services, weddings and more as she brought peace and calm to people often in pain or suffering. Marian Elsie Blake offered sacred guidance for parents, families, churches, ministers, and strangers about Heaven, death, nature, love, family, social activism, and more. I frequently share her messages on Facebook to individuals who have lost a loved one. People seem to be drawn to her messages and poetry as they offer wisdom and appropriate words to individuals during a time of stress, pain, sadness, or celebration during life.

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Gratitude For Blind Crests

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There is a street in Laguna Beach, CA that feels like you are driving straight up, or straight down! For the first couple of times driving on this street I think about my poor visibility, the brakes on the car, other cars in front or behind, and caution. A street sign warns of “Blind Crest”. I feel a mixture of thrill and dread on this street.

As we continue into the New Year 2022, this particular street becomes my teacher: How should I greet the goal of “living in a State of Gratitude”? Sometimes it feels like my objectives are not visible to me. Am I

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Grateful For Anticipation of New Beginnings

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We are now in the New Year of 2022. I always find it exciting to begin something new. I love the earliest parts of each day with the glow of the morning sunrise and the quiet across the land. The photo I selected for this post is from the JFK airport in New York City – an east coast sunrise which I typically never get to witness. My son and I saw a Broadway Show that had been repeatedly rebooked due to Covid and the shutdowns of travel and large gatherings of people. We left the mild climate of Southern CA and went directly into snow and ice and cold. I felt like I was in a ghost town and only the beauty of this sunrise warmed me.

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