Life Issues With Ore Debby ■ 70 ~ YOUR NAME AND YOUR IDENTITY
Hello and good day beautiful people. Your name is one of the singular aspect of your identity that will live with you forever.
Before anyone can talk about you, they will first mention your name, the moment your name is spoken, those who know you will have an idea of what to expect, those who do not know you will then have to create a portfolio with your name as the label.
The convention of giving names to people and things dates as far back as creation itself, identities are easier to understand when it has a name attached to it.
If you stand in a room full of furniture, electronics, foodstuffs, cosmetics, and clothing items, you will discover that you can name a couple of hundreds things in that moment.
Let's dig deeper, it is true that names are not the only things that define who we are. There is more to it, our character, our actions, our words and our values play vital roles in who we are and what comes to mind when our names are called.
Take for example, just because a person bears a certain name doesn't mean they will behave like the first person who bore the name or that they will embody the characteristics associated with the meaning of the name or that they will have the attributes of the significance of the name.
Look at the name Solomon for example. It is a biblical name and the figure in the scriptures that bore the name was known for his wisdom and became one of the most loved and revered figured in history for solving problems in unconventional ways.
Not everyone named Solomon will be wise. Bearing the name Solomon doesn't automatically make anyone wise, they may be kind, loving generous but the name is not what bestows the inheritance of the attributes it comes with.
Bearing the name has no bearing on whether a person will be wise in any way or share from the wisdom of the original name bearer. The same goes for someone who ironically bears a bad name. They may be good, loyal, honest and even better than those who bear good names.
Don't judge a person by their names alone. Sometimes, people who bear certain names will go ahead to smear the name in the dirt, making it very difficult for others who bear the name to appear without blemish.
It is also important to know that a name can change overtime based on those who bear it and their actions. What was once considered a good name may later become a bad name due to the activities associated with it in history.
Many popular names have gone through this change. Look at Adolf for example, it was a very popular name sometimes ago and many children were given the name, it was easy to pronounce and it was a royal name but since it became associated with the man who bore the name and committed a lot of atrocities, it has become a name detested by many, not because of what it means, but because of the actions of those who bore it in the past.
Does it mean everyone bearing Adolf is a bad person? No. It just shows us how the meaning and acceptance of a name can change over time.
This goes a long way to show that our names doesn't define who we are, we define what our names become and the identity it should carry with it through our actions and inactions.
It is what we do with our names, the choices we make, the kind of relationships we build, the kind of work we engage in and more importantly how we behave that are more important than the name on our birth certificate.
Until our makeup carry more significance, our name cannot be associated with greatness, it is who you are that determines what your name will represent in the long run.
Some people are instantly forgotten the minute they die because who they were was nothing to write home about but some other people either good or bad did so much during their lifetime that their names are etched in time.
Stories upon stories have been written about them and they will never be forgotten.
Your impact on the world is what truly defines you.
While names may carry a unique connotation, it is not the major determinant of who you are or what you represent. You have the ability to define yourselves and rename yourself as well. Your name should only be a starting point that you can use to create something brilliant.
It is not too late to change your name if you are not happy with what it represents, that is both in reality and through your actions, there is no shame in starting afresh, neither is there any trouble in finding a new path.
The beauty of this is that you will be the one to stand and live with your name, it is what you will be addressed by everyday and when you grow old and leave the world, that will be the remembrance point for you.
On the topic of names, I will like to leave you with something to think about, don't get caught up with labels and forget that there is more to life than just a naming ceremony.
You can also make your name a historical and iconic subject by doing what will change the world, let your name be a source of joy and pride.
Use what you have to do what needs to be done and let it take shape so that at the mention of your name, your history will be recalled and it will be worthwhile.
...to be continued
Cheers.
