I intended to #BlogElul Day 3 this morning...

Today's #BlogElul theme is "Intentions." Now my first thought was that I intend to do a lot of things that never actually get done. My next association was a phrase that I have often seen on church signs:

It's one of those phrases that I get...but I also find frustrating. After all, isn't it better to have good intentions than evil intentions? Yes, sometimes there are unintended consequences to actions - and sometimes the action never happens despite the intention. But doesn't that count for something??

I certainly struggle with following through on my intentions. Sometimes it is like a new year's resolution - sure I intend to go to the gym every day, but it hasn't happened yet (stay tuned, but don't hold your breath). Other times there are non-ideal circumstances - I get a great idea of someone to reach out to and offer support while I am driving in the car, and by the time I get to my destination the idea has disappeared as quickly as it came, only to reappear the next time I am driving.

Add to this the fact that I am a procrastinator and would often rather "arrange" my intentions than complete them (see to-do list post for more on this issue) and I have a desire to get at least partial credit for intentions.

But it doesn't quite work that way. During the High Holy Day season we read that God can only forgive us for wrongs we have committed against God. For wrongs against people we have to actually apologize before we can seek Divine forgiveness. In other words, intending to apologize isn't enough. Even scripting the whole apology in our head doesn't count.

Why not? Because Judaism is a public religion, not one that happens in private on a mountain top (which can be VERY spiritual, don't get me wrong). It is also a religion that emphasizes actions over beliefs. The intentions to do better, be better, act better are the first step - but they must lead to action and dialogue with others.

So my intention is to use this Elul as an opportunity to take the next step and have those conversations, be they awkward or embarrassing...stay tuned for reflections on how they go!