"A genuine change must first come from within the individual, only then can he or she attempt to make a significant contribution to humanity."

Tweeted by the Dalai Lama June 12, 2012

Lately, I have been meditating on intention. I am getting older, having some major pain, joint issues and am in physical therapy two days a week. This has been a major wake up for me. Causing me to think about how I want to live my life, each day each moment: striving and just surviving or thriving with a joyful, contented, and giving heart.

Naturally, I want the rest of my life to matter. I have two good friends who died at 52, and a mother who only lived to be 62. From this I realize that no one really knows how or when they will exit this plane. Yet, it is easy for me to just go day-to-day without fully thinking through how I want each live encounter to be. Living without consciousness or intention. I suppose that is only natural and even normal for most of us. Seems to have been for me for the most part.

So the past week or so when I have been meditating I end with an intention for the day. Yesterday, I focused on the intention of helping those I come in contact with get in touch with their life purpose. I went though my day, physical therapy, worked on content for a class I am teaching, yoga. Nothing too fancy.

After yoga, I was chatting with the teacher, a young gal who is an engineer but not working as one because it is not what she really wants to do. She has been struggling with what should she do next in her life. I excitedly told her all of the stuff I was learning about physical therapy from the young gal treating me: the education, training, and opportunities. I finally turned to my yoga instructor and said, "You know you would make an excellent physical therapist. I think you would be really good at it." With tears in her eyes she replied, "You know, today you have given me hope. I have been thinking about that but thought it would take too much. By talking to you, I just realized this might be a way for me to combine my background in science with my love of helping people. Thank you for helping me start to find my way." I walked out the door and said to myself, "Thank you, Intention."