The Reflective Pen

Simple Wisdom – Because Life Can Be Complicated

  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • About Me
  • DEKKER
  • Manifesto
  • BOOKS
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • About Me
  • DEKKER
  • Manifesto
  • BOOKS
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • About Me
  • DEKKER
  • Manifesto
  • BOOKS
  • Dekker

    Dekker’s Wisdom

    /

    There are some forms of wisdom that don’t announce themselves. They don’t come with degrees or titles, or even with words most of the time. They come in…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker,  Life Challenges

    THINGS I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME

    /
    Dekker, service dog posing on granite slab

    Today, I want to share the essence of the speech I gave on the day Dekker graduated after 18 months of training at NEADS in Massachusetts. He is…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker on Ice Fishing

    /
    Dekker the Service Dog waits by a fog with mist

    The calendar insists spring is near, though the yard has not yet agreed. Sometimes, when the snow lingers longer than anyone thinks reasonable, I ask Dekker to weigh…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker,  Life Challenges

    Illness Through a Dog’s Eyes

    /
    dekker sleepinig, during illness

    What Love Looks Like When Healing Is Slow Woof woof, friends,Something shifted in the house a couple of weeks ago—before anyone said a word.Illness has a way of…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker,  Life Challenges

    Dekker’s Thoughts About Legacy

    /

    Woof woof… it’s me, Dekker. I’m lying here in my favorite sunspot while my person taps on her keyboard about something called legacy...and I wonder...

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker,  Life Challenges

    Dekker, On Wisdom, Worry and The Weight of the World

    /
    Dekker reads a book

    Maybe it’s the season of “too”:  too much news, too many expectations, too many lists. Or maybe it’s that time feels heavier when the light fades early. Whatever…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker,  Life Challenges

    Wisdom from Dekker

    /
    dekker sleepinig, during illness

    As I, Dekker the seasonal observer, lie by the fireplace (yes, I scoot closer than I’m supposed to), I’ve been noticing a change in the house.

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker,  Life Challenges

    Wisdom from Dekker in Autumn

    /
    Dekker, service dog posing on granite slab

    As I, Dekker the observer, lie with my nose near the door and my paws outstretched like a proper gentleman, I can tell… something is changing. The air…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker,  Life Challenges

    Wisdom from Dekker

    /
    Dekker, the dog who has a lot of wisdom

    When the Days Are Slow and the Heart Is Full, As I, Dekker the ever-faithful, stretch out beside my person’s feet (finally!), I must tell you something: she...

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Wisdom from Dekker

    /
    Dekker the Service Dog waits by a fog with mist

    As I, Dekker the Service Dog, settle in with my nose tucked under one paw and the other stretched out just far enough to feel the cool tile,…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Wisdom from Dekker: What Our Pets Leave Behind (and What They Don’t)

    /
    Dekker, the dog who has a lot of wisdom

    Wisdom from Dekker: What Our Pets Leave Behind (and What They Don’t) As I, known by all as Dekker, lie in my favorite sunspot by the window, I…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker Writes Again

    /
    Dekker sleeps on organ pedals, rest

    Slowing Down, Stretching Out, and Smelling What Matters  As I (Dekker—service dog, squirrel whisperer, and expert in naps) stretch out in a sunny patch on the floor, I…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Wisdom from Dekker

    /
    Dekker, service dog posing on granite slab

    As I, known by all as Dekker, lie here in my favorite sunspot by the window, I think about the curious human problems people ask me about.

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker Writes Again

    /
    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…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
  • Dekker

    Dekker Speaks HIs MInd

    /
    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…

    Read More
    Ardis Mayo
 Older Posts

FREE STORYTELLING STARTER KIT

Storytelling Starter Kit

Begin writing the stories only you can tell!

Receive the Storytelling Starter Kit—free and ready when you need it.

A TIME FOR STILLNESS

A Sacred Pause
A simple space to begin your day—
with breath, silence, and reflection.

Wednesdays at 7:00 AM ET (via Zoom)
No charge. You are welcome as you are.

Register once to join anytime.

Search for topic or word

Categories

Recent posts

  • A monkey tries to answer questions by looking in a mirror..aged to perfection, humilityMeekness, Humility, and Growing Older
    Aging, Life Challenges, Spiritual Growth
  • Woman with questioning face wonders about sound of silence. mind reading. living the questionsLiving the Questions
    Aging, Life Challenges
  • Dekker’s Wisdom
    Dekker
  • this Boston terrier knows how to procrastinate with syle with his chin on the arm of the sofa;Reboot Your Life – Is It An Option?
    Aging, Life Challenges, Spiritual Growth
  • Child's hands in prayerWhen Prayer Becomes Silence
    Life Challenges, Spiritual Growth

Ardis Mayo - The Reflective Pen © 2026
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions