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Simple Wisdom – Because Life Can Be Complicated

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  • Spiritual Growth

    The Death of To-Do Lists: Are Your Goals Killing Your Soul?

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    cup of coffee on a calendar listing goals

    Are your goals a source of unrest? Are to-do lists killing your soul even as you check little boxes and measure your steps, pounds, or bank balance?The Tyranny…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker-225

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    Dekker makes observations about people

    Welcome to Dekker’s monthly post, where he brings canine perspective and wisdom to questions people ask. Dekker is the service dog of the creator of this blog a…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging

    Beyond DNA: The Two Threads of Our Legacy 

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    a baby's tiny feet, beyond DNA

    When we think about what we pass on to our descendants, we usually think first of DNA. DNA is like nature's ultimate hand-me-down, passing along Aunt Betty's musical…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging,  Life Challenges

    LETTING GO OF THE WHEEL: A PATH TO PEACE

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    oak leaves falling, letting go

    The speedometer read zero, but my heart raced at sixty. Though temporary, that moment marked a profound change in my life. 

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Spiritual Growth,  Uncategorized

    When Doubt Becomes Divine

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    man waiting in reflective practice, doubt and prayer

    Is spiritual doubt a crisis of faith or a doorway to more profound belief? For many aging believers, religious uncertainty becomes more common – and surprisingly more enriching.

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker Opens His Heart to a Grieving Widower

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    Dekker

    Dekker, a service dog with many unique talents, responds to readers' questions with the wisdom he has become famous for. Today he responds to a man in grief...

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging,  Life Challenges

    When Saying ‘No’ Becomes A Prayer

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    old lady who can claim agency lifting her hand to say stop, saying no

    When Saying 'No' Becomes a PrayerI've come to believe that one of our most powerful prayers isn't found in ancient liturgies or morning devotions - it's in the…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging,  Life Challenges

    The Sacred Dance: When Rebellion Meets True Strength

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    puppy beside chocolate told no christmas breakfast

     The Moment of ChangeI was seventy-four when I finally said 'no' to hosting Christmas breakfast. The year before, our family tradition of stockings and breakfast ...

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Spiritual Growth

    When to Explore, When to Persist on Your Spiritual Path

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    woman on a high swing over a steep gorge experiences the feeling of vulnerability...explore or persist

    There are two approaches to a spiritual path. When to explore and when to persist are the challenging questions.

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    Spiritual Aging: Beyond Doctor Visits and Exercise Plans

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    how to wait, spiritual aging, illness

    A reader recently asked why we seem to focus more on physical issues as we age than the spiritual ones. When my friend Sarah turned 75, her calendar…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging,  Life Challenges

     Aged to Perfection: Finding Freedom from the Perfectionism Trap

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    A monkey tries to answer questions by looking in a mirror..aged to perfection

    perfectioHow many things in your life say "aged to perfection" on the label? I can think of both wine and cheese that fit this category, but I have…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Uncategorized

      Finding Fun in the Process of Aging

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    aging woman in wheelchair

    Are you having fun in this process we call aging? Not just finding ways to have fun despite growing older, but discovering joy in the actual journey of…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging,  Life Challenges,  Spiritual Growth

    The Sound of Silence: Reflections on What Lies Beyond Death

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    Woman with questioning face wonders about sound of silence. mind reading

    Have you ever experienced a moment so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat? When my father passed away, I discovered a special kind of silence in his…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Wisdom from Dekker

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    Dekker, service dog posing on granite slab

    Welcome to Dekker’s canine counsel for issues that plague people…but not often other dogs. Why is that? We may never know, but listening to our furry companions can…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    Temptation or Motivation?

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    cookies in hand - temptation or motivation?

    Are temptation and motivation the same thing? How might they differ? Does it matter? As I made a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies the other day....

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    Ardis Mayo
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Recent posts

  • Doctor with crossed arms delivering a difficult diagnosisWhen Life Hands You a Diagnosis— How to Receive, Accept, and Keep Living (and Laughing)
    Aging, Life Challenges
  • Couple standing at cemetery saying; goodbye; growing whole not oldSay Goodbye Without Regret 
    Aging, Life Challenges
  • Woman with questioning face wonders about sound of silence. mind readingMind Reading – Did You Ever Wish For It?
    Spiritual Growth
  • Dekker, service dog posing on granite slabWisdom from Dekker
    Dekker
  • Woman sitting in the power of silence on a mournain peak, stories wondering if she were religious, learning to be a human beingThe Stories We Carry
    Aging, Life Challenges

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