The following articles were authored by Mary

About gr8tful

Grateful to be here at this time and in this place and in this space. Harmony at Home, one of my highest values, thrives on gratitude. When I am grateful inside, it shows up on the outside. Gratitude is contagious, too - I hope you catch it!

Here are my most recent posts

Photo Gratitude

Nature Photo Gratitude

Practicing photography and sharing photo content is a joy. I took a photography course a while ago and enjoyed it to the hilt, especially taking the nature photo.  Gratitude for the replays available by video, I can enjoy it even more now. It’s technical on photo equipment and after process editing and speaks to my geek. It’s also taught well, so I’m grateful too for the teacher who has patience and gives fun homework. “Take 100 photos and share them.” I can do that some days and feel a sense of accomplishment. I am grateful that a device, a camera, a technological miracle can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Watch while I share some little pieces of daily life and hopefully you may be inspired to gratitude too!

sika deer assateague

Assateague is a treasure island! This Sika deer is one of its treasures.

 

This photo is one I took while on vacation near Ocean City, Maryland, one of my favorite places in the world, Assateague Island.  The ponies there are beautiful and this type of deer, the Sika deer, is a species that is native to that area only.  I am amazed at the grandeur of the ocean and the details of the ecosystem there, from the mosquitoes that are rampant to the grains of sand that are infinitely moving from the beach to the sea and back again.  The surf sounds are always soothing to me and the photo opportunities infinite there.  Here’s a few other photos that I captured:

assateague pony

 

Assateague Great White Herons roosting

 

In the world of nature photography, there are many wonderful opportunities to wonder at the awesome sights live and to capture them on camera is a double slice of fun for me.  I remember these moments and it brings my sense of gratitude to the surface no matter how mundane my day is going.  I can retreat to that beautiful moment and experience the wonder of nature again.

 

In other’s photography also, I can enjoy their beautiful captures of the moment and appreciate that fact that they shared it with me.  It gives me a sense of fulfillment to share my photos with others, even though I still feel like I’m practicing sometimes.  I hope that the photos I share can uplift and encourage you today to see the moment as one to be grateful for.

 

Best for now,

 

mary gallagher

 

P.S.  I’d love to see images that you have shared in your travels too, so please keep in touch by sharing your comments below and

Gratitude Grounds –

Gratitude grounds me…

In the middle of drama, trauma, or confusion, what role does gratitude play?  A big one to me – gratitude grounds me when I want to become grounded again.  When crisis happens around me, I can look at it as though I caused it, making it worse or look at it as an incident that allows me to creatively handle it.  Gratitude for that awareness goes a long way.

 

grounded in God's footprints in sand

Footsteps in the sand is an image that reminds me of the faith in a personal God that I grew up with, which has strengthened over the years.  The ebb and flow of the ocean that washes away that set of footprints that is always there, reminds me that a power greater than me who is with me to inspire, to comfort, to nudge to the next action that can give relief and lead to better feeling thoughts.
The beauty that is around me I sometimes lose sight of when my gratitude wanes, like the outlines of footsteps in the sand as the harsher waves rush over them again and again.  Being grateful allows me to notice more.  And, when I notice more, it’s usually the better that I notice rather than the worse.  As I see the sunshine glistening against the water that washes over those footprints, I remember that I’m grounded in gratitude and can go on to better things as I allow a better attitude of gratitude.

I’ve heard it said that being grateful is a verb, not a noun, and knowing I have power of my own experience of trauma by acting in gratitude anyway, gives whatever crisis I face a softer, more pliable surface to change.  The only things I have power to change are within me.   Have you remembered to be grateful even in dire circumstances?  Has it helped you out of them, or given you a new perspective on those same circumstances that wasn’t so dire?  Sharing your experience can give another strength and encouragement.  I know sharing helps me to do that, so feel free if you’d like to do so below.
Best for now,
mary gallagher
Winston little dog

Winston, our neighbor’s little dog is just TOO CUTE, checking out Rusty through the fence.

I really love having our dog, Rusty.  Puppies and dogs bring so many smiles into my life, and rescuing our Rusty has brought a lot of love that I am so grateful for.  Commitment to training is necessary too and I’ve been blessed with learning how important it is to be flexible but structured in our family life, which I didn’t always realize..   Seeing a trained dog in no time at all just doesn’t happen without some elbow grease and good treats though, LOL.  Boundaries, schedule, structure, and routine are as important to your dog’s health and well-being as the rest of the family.   I’ve been so grateful to Rusty to actually give me more structure in our family life, and a sense of routine in getting walks in, playtime, mealtime.

rusty sandy on beach

 

Rusty gets bored sometimes, and just loves his walks, and an even better bonus is seeing another dog on the walk in our neighborhood, like the little guy above, Winston.  Just like I took my son as a toddler for a walk in the coach when he was young to get out of the house and to the playground to see other moms, it’s fun to run into other pet parents who are walking their dogs at the same time.  Regular walks, runs, and socializing with other dogs can have a positive effect on training efforts, I’ve found.  Rusty has a better day when he’s tuckered out from play or a longer walk than usual.

 

He gets so excited to go on a walk and it’s great to have a dog who listens to me now when I walk him on the leash.  When we first rescued Rusty, before training him, pulling was the natural course of events on the leash and even now, he can pull occasionally.   One he mastered sit, we moved on to stay, then to walk with me, one at a time.

Remembering these basics of dog training was helpful to me as Rusty was my first ever dog and this really helped us form a loving and loyal bond.  He spends most of his time with me very close sleeping or lying nearby.  What’s made the most difference in my life is I began to get up and out and walk at least once a day! This routine provides me with a healthy break from the home office without taking up a lot of time.  The dogs in our lives can actually help us get and stay healthier, I’ve found.

 

So, thanks to the little dogs in the neighborhood and my wonderful medium sized family dog, Rusty, who keeps us all a little healthier and a little happier every day.

Best for now,

mary gallagher

 

'Gallery' Post | By on

Thankful for Monday

Question QuoteThankful for Monday mornings as a person who works from home, and being thankful for each one is part of the adventure. This particular Monday morning is a little different, though.  The time alone is what refreshes me when others get their day away from home, and I spend mine here.

Organizing comes easier and grouping the top 3, and accomplishing them is a luxury I don’t always accomplish, but more than not, it’s doable when the fires are not set by others here!

 

 

More importantly, when I have a sleepless time the night before, or a bad hair day today, it’s really ideal to work from home as the cobwebs can come undone more easily than thrown into traffic at rush hour!  Better for other drivers as well as me!  The gratitude that I choose to grasp at times like these gives me more productivity than I thought possible a year ago.

bird's nest view from office window

Everyday is Monday morning for me, as I move from one office in the home to another.  The picture shows a bird’s nest view I get to look at outside my office window.  The flexibility of what I do online and offline is by design, and sometimes the design is excellent for me, at other times, when I forget the choice of gratitude, I feel closed in by the hats I wear.  So, it is in the power of choice that I live and love and play and work in gratitude, and every Monday morning is a good one!

 

 

 

So, what is your view from your office window?  Are you in the throws of collaborative creativity, or going through the motions and finding gratitude is a bit out of your reach?  Consider sharing what steps you take to find a little more gratefulness in your day, a way to say thanks…  It turns my Mondays around every day!

 

Best for now,

 

mary gallagher

The Road Less Traveled

road less traveled, is it easier?

When I saw this picture of a collection of images on my hard drive collecting dust and the possiblities of sharing one with an inspirational message, The Road Less Traveled immediately came to my mind. Those who have foraged the page before have made it a bit easier for us who follow, and make our own way through this type of forest.  The spiritual rainforest of many choices and ways to get to the one overall peace, is astounding to me.

 

At one time, long ago, I thought there was one way.  That one way has so many spaghetti threads intertwining as another way to get to the same place of spiritual fulfillment and peace.  I am grateful that the path is a Road Less Traveled and I love this photo that I found so I can share it with you.

 

If you have a thought or two about this saying, this book, or this blog post, please share it below.  It always inspires me when someone shares and connects what is on their mind with others.

 

Gratefully,

mary gallagher

 

 

P.S.  If you would like to connect more with subjects like this and images that I share, just fill out your name and email on the form to the right and I’ll keep you notified of my posts.

what to be Grateful for?

 

What to be Grateful for?  The quality of the question belies the wisdom in it.  Gratitude is that thankfulness or appreciation which leads to an attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has.…

There is absolutely so much to be grateful for, I just haven’t written it down here for a while.  Each moment, a glimpse of gratitude whisks by me, catapulting me into the next one.  Images flow, words describe, feelings wash over me, receiving it all.  The judgments that come I notice, and move on, the less the better, so all can be received fully.

 

window of gratitude

The wonder of observing all in my world is thrilling most days, from the pain of a sprained ankle to the healing of it daily, from experiencing a teenager’s schedule and the pride in catching him in the act of maturity, and the heat of the day giving way to soft sounds of crickets and warm breeze at night.

 

What if all is exactly as it should be, gratefully?  What if in the present moment, the seemingly small events are just perfect as is?  And, what if, in the anxiety, all really is well?  I am grateful for that realization, and enjoying a time of clarity and creativity.

 

When looking around at the world, I see a reality of integration, rather than disintegration, which is sometimes what the media  or events seem to communicate.  And, the events that occur can always be looked at in another way, as Dr. Wayne Dyer says often, “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.”

 

It’s in those simple everyday musings that the most rich results come into play.  I sometimes wonder what you see in your world and I hope it is in some ways similar to mine.  Mostly, my wish for you is that is as beautiful as mine.  I don’t mean that in a bragging way, since my life is far from idyllic when anyone looks around my house or my physique, or compare with family and friends.  Since I don’t do any of that in a conscious way, the view that I have is from the top, a view that is full of wonder and peace, love, joy, even when someone around me may experience, angst, anger, sadness.  It is all the cycle of life and for that, I am grateful to be part of it with you.

 

If you would like to comment below on any thoughts that come to you as you read this, I welcome you to write below.  Also, please keep me on my toes by filling out your name and email so I can make sure to provide you with quality content often, and those special tips to share with you  weekly that keep me grateful.

 

Best for now,

mary gallagher

Grateful for a New Start

Every new day is a new start.  The sun comes up and the birds visit the backyard feeder at dawn again.  After a good sleep, all is well.  All possibilities exist.  In light, everything becomes a little clearer.  This day I am grateful for a new start on older projects.  I am starting anew with a different perspective.  The hope and anticipation I feel gives way to energetically taking this day as time reveals it and allowing all that is in me to just flow outward into the world.  Lots of ways to do that, and one of those ways is by writing this post!

 

Another is photographing the beauty of this day, capturing it in the lens, like this:

gratitude for backyard birds

 

For many years, I’ve enjoyed creating a backyard birding area, where our neighborhood creatures like to come to feed and to nest.   It’s a little noisy in the early morning hours, and a great alarm to wake up to!  I am so grateful for the little things that are all around me here at home.  Gratitude trumps taking things for granted every time.  When I envision my best life, it’s most of what I’m living now.  When I want to expand into more, it’s always from a place of gratefulness for the spot I have created in my life here working from home, living with my family, serving all those I can with the time, talent, skills, and knowledge I can see in me at this moment and can share effectively.

 

The choice to be grateful and to expand beyond who I am today and what I do today may seem contradictory to some.  I have a deep fulfillment of all that is, as well as a yearning for expanding beyond my present place of service.  Gratitude for that gap has allowed me to be the peace I like to see around me.  It has also shown me that, in the midst of chaos, Harmony at Home can exist within me, and can flow to and through and around me by being grateful.

 

So, what are you grateful for today?  The power of it is immense, so allow it into your day to see what surprises may be in store.   If you find some inspiration here, share your encouraging story below.

 

Best for now,

mary gallagher

 

 

Grateful for Clearing

This gift from Pat O’Bryan made my day!  Check it out and enjoy the clearing it brings, the peace, the gratitude that washes over one as you enjoy the rythm, the notes, the tone, the visual effects and the affirmations.  Gratefulfillment, right here right now.

 

Enjoy!

 

Grateful and in Love,

mary gallagher

 

 

 

For more things that come my way to share with you, fill out the form on the right with your name and email so we can keep in touch with each other.

 

Peace on Memorial Day

This is one of the most powerful shortest messages of a ‘woman’s place’ in creating peace that I have come across in my short lifetime.

 

 

 

 

We are in a special time.  Peace is available to all with a change of heart, with a change of mind, with a change in action, one inspired homemaker at a time, one grateful action at a time, one person experiencing gratefulfillment and moving the message outward like a stone cast into the stream leaving its ripples to go outward infinitely.

 

Peace, Love and Gratitude to you on this Memorial Day weekend,

 

 

mary gallagher

 

 

Love Becomes a Grateful Habit

Love becomes a habit as you practice.

Planting seeds even when you know the soil isn’t as fertile as it could be is acting in faith and love. I am grateful I believe in what I cannot always see. Sometimes the things that are unseen are the most important. I’m reminded of a Valentine’s Day, which celebrates love, and is one that I tend to forget. It seems to me to be overrated since every day is a day that I love those around me, however, it’s important to remember to express that love outwardly.  Not only in the things that I do but in how I think about and enjoy the thoughts about  those I love.  Sometimes it’s easy to forget in the everyday nature of interactions with loved ones how much in love I am with my husband, and sometimes it doesn’t  up in the way I express it.

rose petals symbol of loveSo my reminder for the day is to see the expressions of love that others give me and to express my love for others in new subtle distinctive ways that only I can do.  Are there ways that you can love from the inside out? I  have seen that my thoughts command what I do although sometimes I do things out of even when I’m not feeling particularly loving.  It becomes habit to act in a way that is loving just as it becomes habit to acting gratitude I’m finding that the internal love that I feel my life for those that are in my life for the world’s express actions that I do admit I take. It’s not even so much in the actual doing but in the attitude that I give as I’m doing things. I’d like to be more conscious as I do things every day. The simple things like laundry and households errands and making sure my family is cared for in the ways that are my job… I’m finding that there are some things that I take on that are not necessarily mine to do.

Gratitude for noticing habits I act on is something that I’ve been reluctant to talk about, since many of my parenting practices aren’t showing up in love and gratefulness all the time.  In questioning some of the things that my child is doing right now, and the results that have occurred as a result of the decisions he makes, I am wondering how I can become better at standing up for myself so that it is guidepost to him to stand up for himself and his values.

So my thought for today is to be grateful for the ways that I can live in gratitude, love in gratitude and parent in gratitude.

 

Gratefully yours, mary gallagher