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Simple Wisdom – Because Life Can Be Complicated

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  • BLOG
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  • Dekker

    Dekker Writes Again

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    Dekker A service dog with all the answers

    Once a month the task of producing a blog post is turned over to Dekker, a class-A service dog who much prefers to contemplate people problems than abide…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Creativity

    Write your Story

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    a typewriter showing the words "the best way is just to start' as guidance on how to write ardis mayo

    When my father died at a relatively early age from a brain tumor, I remember standing at his grave wanting to hear more about the stories I had…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging,  Life Challenges

    Growing Whole, Not Old: Embracing Spiritual Evolution in Later Life

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    aging woman with kind eyes- whole not old

    The journey to growing whole begins when society expects us to start winding down. While wrinkles deepen and hair whitens, something remarkable happens beneath the surface—

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    Is the Pound I Lost the Same I Gained? Finding Wisdom in Weight

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    woman looking at herself in a mirror, weight gained

    is the pound I lost the same one I gained back? And more importantly, what has this dance with the scale taught me about matters of weight, wisdom,…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    How to Be a Human Being

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    young man practicing the art of listening, being

     Have you ever noticed how exhausting it is to always be "doing"? Our calendars overflow with tasks, our minds race with to-do lists, and even our rest becomes…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker Speaks HIs MInd

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    Dekker

    Usually I introduce this blog post by introducing Dekker, a service dog with many special gifts—one of which is sharing his wisdom with humans. Today, I said I…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging,  Life Challenges

    Spiritual Reflections on Illness and Aging

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    aging and illness

    After avoiding the illness that changed the world, I finally experienced firsthand the effects of COVID-19 in my own body. Following are reflections on the gifts of that…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Spiritual Growth

    Finding God Beyond Church

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    Woman on the beach, does she drift or is she on a pilgrimage? beyond church, lonliness?

    What happens when we let go of religious 'shoulds' and find spirituality in places other than church?

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    Ardis Mayo
  • 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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    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 - boredom

    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
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Recent posts

  • dekker sleepinigWisdom from Dekker
    Dekker, Life Challenges
  • clasped hands, lonlinessLoneliness and Aging
    Aging, Life Challenges
  • two white haired aging ladies on a bench discussing the meaning and purpose of growing old, memoryThe Body Remembers
    Aging, Life Challenges
  • woman journaling to-do list and goalsJournaling as a Path
    Creativity, Life Challenges
  • Dekker, service dog posing on granite slabWisdom from Dekker in Autumn
    Dekker, Life Challenges

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