Last year 2017 was an eventful year for us. Hurricane Irma surged through Jacksonville in September dumping loads of water and downing trees. Son Joel here was determined windows on our property would be secure. He had strong intention, believe you me!

 

INTENTION

Intention is a word with muscle: Eyes trained forward, body leaning in, as the photo above illustrates. The word is full of possibility with an aim that guides action toward a target.

Last week my sister and I toured the Dressing Downton display at the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine before it is whisked in crates back to England.

In the photo below the Dowager Countess of Grantham Violet fully intends to belittle or insult her daughter-in-law’s mother, monied Martha Levinson of New York City. It’s no secret that these characters played by Maggie Smith and Shirley MacLaine in the Downton Abbey series took pleasure in exchanging verbal barbs. Of course, they added spice to the story line.

 

DRESS intending to IMPRESS

 

DIVERSION

As my word for 2017 conveyed, I had planned to complete my memoir, but I was deluding myself because of circumstances.

A year ago I declared,

[Focus] does the job of describing my intention to complete my memoir writing this year.

With an aunt in hospice care, I should have known my focus would probably be diverted. For the first half of 2017, urgent family concerns took priority. Along with sister Jean, Janice and I undertook the enormous task of saying “goodbye” to dear Aunt Ruthie, curating her possessions, and preparing her home for sale.

 

INTENTION, OTHER VOICES

A trip to British Columbia was one of the highlights of 2017. In Victoria, we spent a full morning touring the home of writer/artist/conservationist Emily Carr, whose life pulsed with strong intention and follow-through.

Here she expresses strong intention to go to art school.

 

Recently, I discovered Thomas Merton’s statement of intention, declared as a prayer. In a sense, he implies that divine desire may equate to intention.

 

WORDS PAIRED with ACTION: SHOW ME!

Julie Andrews, the Liza Doolittle character in My Fair Lady vents her frustration at Freddie’s weak attempts to woo her, when she belts out “Words, Words, Words, I’m so sick of words!” She begs him to “Show Me” with action!

 

Writer Friends with Intention

This week two bloggers voiced their intention for 2018, goals for the new year

Linda Hoye

Kathy Pooler

 

WHAT I KNOW NOW

I will achieve my writing goals via a zigzag path, be resilient enough to know detours don’t mean denying the goal. My aim (with my manuscript in another reader’s hands) is to proceed, make progress toward publication in the new year. What is required: flexibility and acceptance of where I am now – along with laser focus toward my goal. Oh, and hope and joy along the way!

 

 

Words for My Goals in Previous Years:

Advance 2015

Whole-Hearted 2016

Focus 2017

 

YOUR TURN

Did your intention take a detour in 2017?

Did circumstances require you to adapt to a Plan B this past year?

Writers, please add your website in “comments” if you have ever chosen a similar word to express your writing intentions.