Connecting with you, the reader. . .

I have just spent the last three hours responding to your comments in regard to various blogs already posted on my site.  I do this every couple of days so that I don’t get too far behind and I want to say again that I love hearing from you.  I know I’ve mentioned this before but I repeat it because of the grace you bring to my life.  Simply knowing that you are “out there” catching the phrases I am throwing your way tickles and amazes me.  The internet is a fascinating tool, isn’t it.

I have to admit that when I started this endeavor, I didn’t realize it would be so time consuming.  I thought a post every few days was all that would be required.  I had not considered that so many of you would actually be reading the posts and then interested enough to comment.  I’m not sure I even realized any one would feel engaged by my words.  How gratified I am that many hundreds of you did become engaged and have shown it by reaching out to me here.  I am quite simply overwhelmed by your attention to this blog site.  I do intend to continue reading every comment I receive and will respond, in turn, to as many of them as possible.  If I don’t respond to one you wrote, please write again.  I run out of steam some nights.

In the last couple of posts I have referred to intentions for 2011.  One of mine is to continue this site far into the future.  It’s the kind of writing I love best: short essays that relate to topics that mean a great deal to me, usually subject matter that has hounded me at some time in the past.  Or maybe still does. Like detachment, for instance.  Or perhaps I should say “attachment.” Many of you have commented on the posts I have written dealing with this topic.  It’s a behavior that steals our peace of mind.  Always.  I speak from experience.  And we deserve peace of mind.  Without it, we cannot fulfill God’s will for us. Again, I speak from experience.

Back to intentions: my husband spoke to me about a habit I have that bothers him.  And rightly so!  I interrupt when he is telling a story if I want the story told in another way.  I don’t know why I do this but I can’t deny it and it can be curtailed.  All it takes is willingness and awareness on my part.  We came up with a code word that he will utter to alert me when I am doing it.

This may sound crazy to you but habits are just that: habits.  And they can be broken when the desire is there.  I have that desire.  Having this as another intention for 2011 will ease our relationship.  It’s really quite good, as it is, but most relationships can be tweaked a bit to make them better.  This is the tweaking ours needs.

I hope you are thinking about your own intentions.  They can be tiny.  And it’s best if they are few rather than many.  Just follow through.  That’s the main “intention” you need to have.