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Manifesto – TheReflectivePen – Part three, More goals
This is the third and final part of the Manifesto of TheReflectivePen - Goals numbered 6-11 with a summary of all eleven goals for writing this blog at…
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A Manifesto – TheReflectivePen – Part Two
Part two of a three-part Manifesto of TheReflectivePen is the first half of a list of goals that guide the writing on this blog.
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A Manifesto of TheReflectivePen Part One
Genesis The genesis of TheReflectivePen is a tale of collective failures and successful adventures in both writing and technology in a search for meaning and…
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Dekker Answers a Question about Adopted Pets
Dekker is a service dog who offers advice to readers of TheReflectivePen. In this post he responds to questions about 'pandemic pets', as well as questions about death…
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Five Ways You Can Find the Sacred in the Ordinary
This summary of five ways to find the sacred in the ordinary is offered as examples of an infinite resource for anyone thirsty for wisdom and insight. Holding…
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Dekker – A Service Dog with Answers
Many people have asked me how Dekker ‘writes,’ sharing his wisdom every month in English. The only words that may seem legitimate from a dog are “Woof, woof”....Learning…
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Five Things to Know About Grief and Loss
When you lose a spouse there are a series of expected feelings and experiences ahead. Grief, loneliness, pain, laughter, and joy are only five but worth taking a…
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Learning to Sit Alone With Feelings
Learning to sit is a common Buddhist practice but for this author, the road to sitting was marked by an illness accompanied by cognitive loss that did not…
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Dekker, The Service Dog, Shares His Wisdom
Many people have asked me how Dekker ‘writes,’ sharing his wisdom every month in this blog. The only words that may seem legitimate from a dog are “Woof,…
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One Thing to Know if You Want to be Compassionate
Until I learn to be comfortable with my fear and pain, I will not hear the fear and pain behind another's defensive statements or responses, let alone respond…
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HAS YOUR “BEST IF USED BY” DATE PASSED?
Do you have a "Best if used by" date on your life? What if that date has passed and you find yourself still sitting on the shelf? Here…
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WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT FEELING VULNERABLE?
Vulnerability helps us open the door to new connections. If only for a moment, we let our guard down and engage with people on another level.
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MORE ADVICE FROM DEKKER
Dekker is a British black lab whose gifts for giving advice emerged when he sat around every day with the restrictions of the pandemic. He was born to…
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IF YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER, WHY NOT WRITE
When you write, why do you write? Is it a life-long passion? A professional obligation? Or do you resist writing because, after all, you are not "a writer?"…
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HOW TO LET A WALK IN THE FOREST INSPIRE YOUR WRITING
Taking a walk through the forest is one of the best ways to inspire your writing, regardless of subject matter.