The Reflective Pen

Simple Wisdom – Because Life Can Be Complicated

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  • DEKKER
  • Manifesto
  • BOOKS
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT ME
  • DEKKER
  • Manifesto
  • BOOKS
  • Life Challenges

    “The Art of Bread Dough: A Metaphor for Building a Successful Life”

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    round loaf of fresh baked bread made from dough

    Creating a successful life is similar to working bread dough, involving a lot of push and pull and plenty of waiting for inner work to complete itself.

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Spiritual Growth

    The Power of Silence:

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    Woman sitting in the power of silence on a mournain peak, stories wondering if she were religious, learning to be a human being

    In a world filled with noise and constant chatter, have you ever considered the power of silence?There is no getting around it: humans as a whole are not…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker Continues His Story

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    Dekker and Ardis at NEADS

    Dekker continues with part three of his story of how he became a service dog. This time he shares a letter he got from his person who had…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Uncategorized

    How To Get Out of a Rut

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    to not forgive yourself is like driving on a mud road -you can get stuck in a rut

    Have you ever found yourself in a rut, feeling like life is passing you by? It's a common feeling, especially as we get older and settle into our…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    How to Find Joy and Positivity in Difficult Times

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    embracing stone statue to depict practicing for death...or joy in difficult times

    We all know that life can be tough. Sometimes, it feels like there's a never-ending stream of challenges and obstacles to overcome. It's easy to get bogged down…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    The Meaning of Flow

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    flow shown by a moving stream over rocks

    Flow is a state of mind that occurs when you are entirely devoted to an activity or task. The other day I was so engrossed in writing that…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker Adds to His Story

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    Dekker the Service Dog waits by a fog with mist

    Woof Woof! Here is another piece of my story of how I got to be a service dog, along with a few answers to comments left last week....I…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    Is There Any Purpose and Meaning to Aging?

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    A group of hands holding fall leaves perhaps pondering death in autumn. is there meaning and purpose in growing old

    Finding purpose and meaning as we age is a matter of recognizing the power of sitting still.

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    How to Not Be So Busy: A Guide for the Overworked and Overwhelmed

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    nothing goes right - man in grief holding face with his hand Ardis Mayo

    We all have those days where we feel overworked and overwhelmed, like we're drowning in an endless sea of tasks and responsibilities. But fear not, for I am…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges,  Spiritual Growth

    What is the Meaning and Purpose of Life

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    Is this tabby cat thinking about meaning and purpose or passion and calling? or aging

    Meaning and purpose have to be more than a satisfying and lucrative job. How does my life intertwine with diversity, with strangers, with the Divine?

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    Pain is a Given – Suffering is a Choice

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    pain and suffering woman with toothache

    ‘Pain is a given; suffering is a choice’. What on earth does this mean? And how does it apply to our lives? I think we can all agree…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker Tells His Story, part 1

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    Dekker, service dog posing on granite slab

    Many people ask me (Dekker) what it takes to be a service dog. I could talk to them about the one to two years of training which I…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    Letting Go

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    Releasing Red Heart Balloons -letting go

    My journey through liminal space continues. The pace of our transitioning between continents is that of a snail. And for the time being, that still feels mostly okay, even as…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    How to Procrastinate with Style

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    this Boston terrier knows how to procrastinate with syle with his chin on the arm of the sofa

    I put off writing about procrastination for a long time and I had a lot of (to me) reasonable excuses. My favorite one: “I’m not procrastinating, I’m researching”.…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Spiritual Growth

    The Joy of Gratitude: Simple Ways of Giving Thanks

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    Showing gratitude at sunrise

    The joy of gratitude is an acquired joy that comes with practice. I was taught as a very young child to say “thank you” and most of 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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