What’s Your Intention?

My son called the other day, his voice tight with frustration.
“They never wrote me back,” he said.

“Send me the email,” I told him.

When it landed in my inbox, I could see it. Polite words, thoughtful details, a closing line that sounded like a soft wave goodbye. But no arrow. No request that gave his boss something to respond to.

When I asked him what his intention was, he paused. “I didn’t want to sound pushy. I just…wanted them to respond.”