The Reflective Pen

Simple Wisdom – Because Life Can Be Complicated

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  • BLOG
  • ABOUT ME
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  • Manifesto
  • BOOKS
  • 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
  • Dekker

    Dekker Speaks

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    Dekker ponders a basket of yarn

    Dekker is a British black lab who is a service dog by day and a writer by night. His greatest joy is sharing his thoughts about human behavior.

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging,  Spiritual Growth

    How Old Do You Have to Be to Become a Crone

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    statue of a crone for the post "how old do you have to be to be a crone"

    Well, if there isn’t a specific age for crones and no certification from an institution of higher learning, and when you look in the mirror you aren’t looking…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges

    Do You Know What To Do Before Being Hit by a Bus?

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    People don’t often survive a head-on collision with a speeding bus when they are out for an evening stroll. It is often easier to talk about buses than…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Life Challenges,  Spiritual Growth

    How Can We Entertain Our Feelings of Grief?

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    strong man holding weak child with feelings of grief

    We have an energy crisis, and I am not referring to an oil shortage. I am thinking about all the energy it takes to keep the doors and…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Aging

    How Old Is Old Enough?

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    How old is old enough? two children on the shore pointing to the horizon.

    I am not sure when my desire to be older came to a halt, but there was a period in my life I didn’t think about aging much…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dear Dekker

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    Dekker, the dog who has a lot of wisdom

    Dear Dekker, I am writing to you because I have what some people call mid-winter blues. I can’t seem to find the energy to keep going.

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Spiritual Growth

    What is the Meaning of Reflective Practice

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    man waiting in reflective practice, doubt and prayer - boredom

    Reflective practice is the art of thinking in a way that not only brings a deeper understanding of an issue but, more importantly, fosters real change in our…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Spiritual Growth

    Why Is It So Hard To Pray When Someone Asks

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    why is it so hard to pray

    Why is it so hard to pray when someone asks? What is it that makes prayer something that many people do in private but shy away from if…

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    Ardis Mayo
  • Spiritual Growth

    What Do People Mean When they Say They Are Not Religious?

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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

    Is it necessary to align oneself to a set of creeds or a place of worship to be considered religious? What is inside of people that sees them…

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    Ardis Mayo
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