I’m often conflicted when the end of summer rolls around and our schedule makes the inevitable switch from relaxed to structured. On the one hand, I know I thrive in routine and on the other, I crave excitement and flexibility. This year, though, I wish I could extend the season of fun a little longer. It feels like only recently I started appreciating the out of routine nature of summer, just in time for it to be over. The past few weeks in particular provided an opportunity to slow down and mentally catch up to myself and it was during a moment of extra space that I experienced what felt like an invitation to try and be more intentional in my daily life.

As I reflected, I realized that I fluctuate between being either reactive or intentional in my day-to-day life. It is evident that I am much more focused and present on the days filled with fun visits or wide-open afternoons, compared to the days where to-dos fill my time. On chore days, I’m usually so focused on accomplishing my tasks and reacting to the inevitable hiccups along the way that I forget to fully live with intention. Of course, life can’t always be fun outings or relaxing afternoons, obviously there are responsibilities that require attention. For me, as I reenter a season of routine, the trick will be to find a way to not get so distracted by my mountain of responsibilities that I forget to intentionally engage in my own daily life.

My focus on intentionality isn’t new, I have been practicing this awareness journey for years. However, I still struggle to accept the daily invitation to be intentional rather than just simply put my head down and reactively tackle what needs to be done. It’s not completely my fault, there’s a lot of pressure in our society to do: make a difference, be the change, have an impact, leave a legacy. As I’ve written several times over the past seven years, I often struggle with getting stuck fixating on what I should be doing with my life, not always how I should be doing it. I usually end up feeling frustrated with the apparent insignificance of my small, daily contributions, rather than focus on the impact of being intentional in my small, daily contributions. “Do small things with great love,” Mother Teresa’s oft-quoted reminder comes to mind. A truly important task and one that I often overlook in its simple but powerful importance. This is a much-needed reminder as I transition into a season of reactive routine. Small, ordinary moments matter, and, what’s more, how I engage with these moments matters a lot.

I am going to try to carry this reminder with me when I find myself getting impatient with the drudgery of everyday responsibilities. My hope for this fall season is to be intentionally present, whether embarking on an exciting outing or completing a basic responsibility. And, further, to appreciate that both mundane as well as out of the ordinary moments are pieces contributing to the big picture life puzzle. It reminds me of a quote by the suffragette and equal rights activist Alice Paul, “I always feel the movement is a sort of mosaic. Each of us puts in one little stone, and then you get a great mosaic at the end.” Every day, each of our small but unique and individual contributions are a part of the mosaic we are creating together; we can and do make a difference simply by how we engage. Sometimes the smallest moments leave a lasting impact simply because of how they were achieved. It reminds me of a quote from “Let Your Life Speak” by author and educator Parker Palmer, who in reference to vocation, gently offered, “We find our callings by claiming authentic selfhood, by being who we are, by dwelling in the world [as ourself]. The deepest vocational question is not ‘What ought I to do with my life?’ It is the more elemental and demanding ‘Who am I? What is my nature?’”

Although this shift in intentionality can appear to be a small step, it actually changes everything for me. It opens the door to questions whose answers can lead to deeper purpose and peace. What is my nature? What do I value? Am I practicing and living into my values on a daily basis? The shift in focus means a change from placing too much emphasis on what I do to how I do it. As Rumi, a Sufi mystic and poet from the 1200s, put it in such relatable terms, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

As the routines of school schedules and daily chores and responsibilities begin to shape my days, I know I’ll still struggle to pursue the practice of being intentional through it all. But I hope to continue to grow daily in this habit. As I searched for an encouraging way to conclude this post, I came across several blessings from author John O’Donohue. The following is a combination of excerpts from two separate blessings:

May you recognize in your life the presence, power, and light of your soul…
May you have respect for your own individuality and difference…
May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul…
May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light, and renewal to those who work with you and to those who see and receive your work…
May you be present in what you do…
May you never become lost in the bland absences…
May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, that you have a special destiny here, that behind the facade of your life there is something beautiful, good, and eternal happening…
May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride, and expectation with which God sees you in every moment.

Wendi is co-author of The Unexpected Ever Afters blog and enjoys sipping extra hot coffee, sharing a love of reading with her kids, and exploring bike trails.

photo credit: personal photos