THE INTENTION BEHIND THE INTENTION

When my children were young, they all loved us to read before going to bed. One of my boys, Ryan, was the largest of the kids but also the biggest, most loving baby. He always wanted me to be there for him. 

At the time of his formative years, I was in a crazy Information Technology management role, hours were long and so time with the family was precious. Ryan would consistently ask for me to read to him in the evening, and even though I tried to make it up to his room before he fell asleep, it was not always so. 

Sometimes we have good intentions to spend time with people, call them, just be with them, and we fail to do so. As parenthood can be a guilt-ridden experience punctuated by love, I always return to the example of my son when I don’t get to something in the time I promised it. 

Our intention is one thing, to do something good, with a loving heart; and yet sometimes we add so many things to our good intentions list that it becomes impossible to get all done when we advertise it. This often leaves us with a sense of “unfinishedness” in our days and weeks. Then we discern if we just put too much on our plate, or whether we are poor managers of our time. I have been in both circumstances in my life. 

However, if we return to the intention behind the encounter, we can still return to previous internal conversations, “Was this based in love?” If it was, it turns out we can always return to fix it later. Children, particularly young children, are like dogs. They possess unconditional love and a bottomless well for forgiveness. We don’t even have to ask them for forgiveness. Just an “I love you” or “I’m sorry” is more than enough … at least until they become teenagers! 

So today, let’s add the intention to the task whatever it is and become surprised how we can turns tasks into acts of love and try and remain as guilt-free as possible for the unaccomplished actions of today. For tomorrow will dawn again to allow us to revisit the child who is waiting for us to read to them in their lives. 

Read to me 

Read to me tonight dad,

It’s really not so late, 

I want to hear that Seuss, 

Just once again, it’s great

Oh don’t say that you’ll be up,

The minutes ticking by,

I am getting lonely here,

Myself and just one book.

I love it when you read to me,

Oh do so come and tell,

It is the only time we get,

To have our hug and spell.

Dad, the book is open on my bed,

I have the page right here

Is Dr. Seuss so dead?

Oh do come up and read.

Maybe he will come quite soon,

I’m getting rather sleepy,

Happy are the sounds down there,

Perhaps work has made him weary.

It’s morning now, my school day starts,

I’m off to early art,

Perhaps tonight I’ll win the prize,

Seuss and right from the start;

Oh Daddy, come and read to me. 

Copyright poem and reflection Michael J. Cunningham OFS