Key 11 – Intention

One of the key ways I discern how my values are matching up with my actions is to take a close look at my intentions.  Why am I taking homemade cookies to the new neighbors?  What’s my true intention?  Do I want them to think I’m nice?  Do I want them eventually to feed our dog or shovel our snow when we are out of town?  Do I do it because my Mother always took cookies to the new neighbors?  When we can reflect and discern the true intention of what we are doing, we are learning a new layer of our heart and cultivating honesty and courage in the process.  Strong, lasting friendships need intention—a strong plan—to help nourish the relationship.   

Intention is not just about will but about our overall everyday vision, what we long for, what we believe is possible for us. If we want to know the spirit of our activities, the emotional tone of our efforts, we have to look at our intentions.

—Sharon Salzberg 

Thought to ponder: How can I be intentional in strengthening, fertilizing, and cultivating deeper friendships in my life?