Thoughts on intentional living
A few days ago, someone posted on social media about a mockingbird singing outside her bedroom window every morning at 5:30 a.m. for two weeks straight. Highly annoyed, she complained that the mockingbird was making her acutely resent all songbirds.
My thought, however, was that mockingbird must have been provided by God, the Universe, or what have you in answer to the poster’s own intention, wish, or prayer, whether she remembered it or not.
To me, it seemed obvious there must be an intended benefit to waking up at 5:30 each morning—as an early riser, I have experienced the benefits of early morning wakefulness. I also believe life serves us the elements needed to fulfill our desires, but we just don’t always recognize their purpose.
I haven’t always felt this way, and sometimes I forget and must work my way back to this knowledge. But I always return to this way of thinking and living and benefit from the realignment.
That event sparked profound realizations and an immediate pivot from sorrow to gratitude. It’s why I’m here today, writing this blog and recording my podcast from my cozy barn studio on my farm in New York. In fact, it even led to you reading or listening to this now.
Through many years of interesting and sometimes awful adventures, I’ve come to see that the flow and current of my life are directed—ultimately, for better or worse—by my own intentions.
By embracing this, I gain a deeper connection to all aspects of my life. My experiences and relationships—good or bad, healthy or toxic—are my current, born of my intentions. If I fight against my current, I suffer—sometimes greatly. But if I let my intentions lead the way, I have wins, find joy, balance, and love.
There are markers in life, signposts showing the way toward the experiences and places of my heart’s desire—much like a mockingbird singing a pretty song.
Over the years, I’ve endeavored to be more attuned to those signs. When my stubborn nature overrides my good sense, I resist what the markers tell me, and, for a time, fight my own current. During those times, life’s struggles overtake my joy, leaving me exhausted and sometimes in tears.
But when I read the markers correctly, my journey becomes pleasant and leads me closer to the life I intend to live.
Life can be a double-edged sword, as I see it. On one side of any experience or relationship is the possibility of a negative view, looking backward, riddled with dissatisfaction, regret, and sorrow. On the other side is the possibility of a positive view, revealing forward-looking wins, abundance, and gratitude.
I have the freedom to choose which side of the sword to embrace. Do I live in sorrow and regret, or in gratitude and wins? I don’t know about you, but I prefer to land in a happy place.
Living an intentional life is noticing, acting, breathing, and accepting life as it unfolds, knowing your intention drives it.
It’s you. The flow is you. The river is you, just as I am The River Me.
Perhaps you’re The River You.
We often don’t recognize the answers to our intentions and wishes when they’re right in front of us. We’re truly silly creatures, fighting the lovely current of our own lives, at times.
This brings to mind the parable of a man escaping a flood on his rooftop, praying fervently to God to save him. A neighbor in a little rowboat appears and offers help, but the man rejects him saying God is going to save him. As the waters rise a stranger in a motorboat comes by offering help and again the man on the roof rejects the help saying he has prayed to God and God will save him. Then a helicopter arrives and again the man rejects attempts at rescue, saying he has prayed to God for a miracle and God will save him. The waters rise and he drowns. In heaven he asks God why his prayers weren’t answered and God says, “But my son, I sent a rowboat, a motorboat, and a helicopter and you rejected all. What more could I have done?”
This is what I believe: Whether your intention flows through prayer, wishes, thoughts, or mindfulness, there will be occurrences and opportunities that align with it, though not always obviously.
In every situation, relationship, failure, or success I’ve had, there’s a thread connecting it to my intention. Who knows? Maybe if you look closer, you’ll find your intention—the current of you, The River You—as well.
In my life, I don’t believe in leaving everything in God’s hands. I believe God loves me, and I do feel the unmistakable, unshakable presence of God in every aspect of my life. But experience has shown me that when I lose my tether to my intentions—when I lose sight of The River Me—I may fail to recognize providence itself.
There is this other thing I have learned about living an intentional life … it is wise to clearly state my intentions. To do this, I find quiet, alone time—even if for only a few minutes—to contemplate the simplest concepts of what I desire in life. The simpler, the clearer, the better. I try to recall my earliest memories of how I viewed life. I had laid aside writing ten years ago to focus on knitting pattern designs and Indie yarn dyeing. But when I re-evaluated my life’s intentions going back to when I was a child I remembered that writing was always there from a very young age—writing with a desire to use my writing to help others.
So, I will continue to design knitting patterns and create Indie artisan yarn colors but writing takes precedence because it is fundamental to who I am and why my intention is in this life.
I hope knowing something about my journey is helpful to you.
Until next time, this is … ~firefly, out.
Listen to this companion podcast (below) for a deeper dive into Thoughts on Intentional Living and this week’s creativity chat!
