An Enormous Undertaking. What Is Required?
As is customary, here is my “one word to live by” for 2022.
“Intentionality” is not an action to be taken, it is a philosophy of life; it is a way of bringing purpose to the many dimensions of our existence on this planet.
It refers to “the belief that the nature of one’s conscious mental state is determined by its intentionality.” (thedecisionlab.com)
The most important arena where we experience intentionality is in our language.
Joan Chittister, author of “Radical Spirit”, writes:
“Life is about language. We must learn to listen. We must learn to speak with all the needs of the world in mind. We are the sum total of what we do to others, for others, because of others. The way we speak to one another…makes us look at ourselves as well as at our attitude toward people around us.”
She continues:
“Our darkness can eclipse another person’s sun. We have something everyone needs from us: a sense of value, a deep-down respect, a genuine admiration, a recognition of their contribution to the world.”
We can bring intentionality to many other dimensions of life — our household, our contemplation, our relationships, to name a…
