Reflections - What's in a Name?

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I knew, even as i kid, that my purpose was to grow up and make a name for myself, whatever that even meant. And i am sure it is the same with most of us.

And so it is, that one of the noblest causes every person pursues is to make for him/herself a name. By that name, you get known, revered or reviled. By that name, your house takes its place in the community. Your children, even grandchildren, come to carry the blessing or curse of your name.

To therefore ask the questions: What's in a name? Is to attempt to explain an in-explainable phenomenon. It is like asking what is in the ocean? So much, you cannot exhaust. Still, you can at least a identify a couple of things, hopefully the fundamental ones, such as fish.

The same can be said of the name. There are at least a few fundamentals that we can associate with it, following from general experience. Suffice, however, to add that to ask: what's in a name, is to ask what the mention of any given name elicits, as seen from the second rather than first person's view.

Camouflage

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How many people hide behind a mask? How many people claim to be whom they are not, what they are not? From politics, societies to economics, there are people who are living stage managed lives. Everyday, they struggle to keep that act together, to bill up to the name they have led the world to know them by

Illustration - The beer bottle

The Reverend had convinced Sofia that if her husband converted to Christianity, the addiction to alcohol would end. So when her husband finally consented, after weeks of pestering, Sofia was the happiest.

The Reverend, laying his hands on her husband’s head, declared "From this day forward, you are a new creature. Your new name henceforth, is Andrew”.

Shortly after they returned home, Andrew, feeling thirsty, made for the fridge, and opening, found one of his last beer bottles.

It took a while of hesitation, before an idea finally occurred to him. Making sure Sofia was out of view; he popped open the beer bottle. “From this day forward,” He declared, “You are a new creature. Your new name henceforth is Yoghurt!”

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Satirical yes, but don’t miss the point. Calling yourself Michael Jackson, doesn’t make you a trifle of a dancer like him. Acting like him is even worse; you not only deceive others, but yourself.

The pressure that comes with keeping your act will finally break you. Like Andrew, you will keep drinking the beer all the while telling yourself it is Yoghurt, until that beer, silently destroying you from the inside, finally manifests even to the outside.

Then the Sofia’s you have been deceiving will know the truth.

Faith

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Faith yes, as in the faith you know. This is also found in a name. Look around your own community, your own surrounding. Notice the individuals everyone turns to in times of crisis, those they turn to whenever there is a matter to be resolved.

These are the people in whose names that community vests its faith, upon whose names, they will their trust. It is there names, that community will call upon whenever, wherever.

As it is, the idea of steem witnesses whom the steem community is currently voting, is premised on the same. These will be the men and women to whose trust, we are gearing to will the sustenance of this platform. In so doing this, we shall be showing faith in their names!

Illustration - The name of Jesus

Andrews life is on the line. The prognosis is not good. And the doctor is certain; he doesn’t have long - months at most. having been raised in a Christian family, reading the bible and attending Sunday school, Andrew recall an old verse.

“Whatever you ask for, in my name, you will be given.”

With nothing to lose, he burns the midnight oil on his knees. Hands reaching out to the man upstairs, his lips mumble only one name. Jesus.

The medical follow-up finally comes, and the bespectacled doctor is mesmerized. “Whatever you are doing,” he calls out Andrew, “keep doing it!”

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Of course that story carries with it several connotations; you might have another angle of looking at, and that is alright. The point I am trying to make is that Andrew did not call out your name, he did not call out Paul, or Michael, or whatever name you can think of. He called out Jesus.

What is your reputation in society? What is the community’s view about you? Okay, there is a sensitive task that needs to be accomplished, and a list of names is lined up but only one is chosen. Of course it was due to your qualifications, your experience, if it is a career situation, but that is exactly the point.

Your actions, your accomplishments, are what give you a name. Jesus’s actions, his accomplishments are well documented. You may look up the bible, and read about them. People have faith in his name, because of that. It is those actions and accomplishments, that qualify him, in the eyes of billions across the globe, to call upon his name whenever, wherever.

In the same way, of course, your actions can disqualify you, and dissociate faith from your name. Is your name associated with vice rather than virtue? Are you a known Casanova? You can be sure a girl’s hostel board will not elect you warden. And that is because your actions disqualify your name, accordingly dissociates your name from faith.

Identity

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In Africa especially, with its multi-ethnicity, a person is straight away identified by his her name. You just have to say your name, and some one know which country and part or region you are from, the tribe and language you speak.

Illustration - I'm also from there

After years of trying and failing, an Africa immigrant, hopeful of making a living, finally gets his visa to the land of opportunity. His first errand is to comb the streets for a job. Luckily enough he is enlisted for an interview.

And joins a long queue on the bench outside, taking the seat next to the crack-tooth. He is excited to meet a fellow African, and tries a conversation.

“Hullo!” He says, but the mind-your-business look the bald head gives him is not to be mistaken.

Shortly, his turn comes, and the name is mentioned: “Okoropo!”

And that is when for the first time the crack-tooth looks at him, “Okoropo, from Nigeria, right?”

“Yes”

“Sorry, I didn’t know. Nice to meet you! I am also from there.”

Finally

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Lets just say that these are my thoughts as they came to mind today. They are obviously not established facts, but neither are they unfounded reasonings. They are, you can say, something in-between. Leave me your own thoughts in the comments. Rest assured i am already glad you read this far!

Mirrors