MEANDERINGS ll -
WHAT'S IN A NAME ?
by Lee Steese
| It has often
been stated that if a child is brought up in a certain
manner, there will be a good chance that the child might
exhibit certain very desirable traits throughout his or
her life. The example given is of a mother who placed a
letter "P" in the lapel of her son's "goin'
to meetin'" suit coat. She also took the time to
remind him at every opportunity that the letter stood for
"President" because she expected great things
of the child, even that one day he might become the
president of his own company. Although it has been
alleged that such actually did happen in that case, the
story may be apocryphal. The writer has no way of knowing.
There are those who say that she "pushed him too
much to do what he might not have wanted to do however,
the point is that the mother took an active role in her
son's life. She, in her own way, communicated her
interest to the child as well as the fact that he could
create/have a great future if he believed in himself,
applied himself, and earned it. In all of this, the
author will cite the Biblical injunction: "Bring a
child up in the way he is to go and when he is old he
shall not depart from it". Having said all that as a way of introduction, I decided to muse further. Having seen many books in my time which were given to parents in order to assist them in naming their newborn baby I noted that, invariably in those books, not only were names suggested but each was tagged with a "meaning/origin". The other night, a comedian was talking about what a drag (read "stupid" or "ridiculous") it would be if children were given names, as they were in earlier times, which reflected an attribute which their parents wished them to have and exhibit. So many girls were, even up to the fifties when I was a mere lad, named Faith, Joy, Hope, etc. Of course, for reasons which I never quite figured out, such namings did not apply as much to boys. I have wondered from time to time whether a family could ever get away with naming their son "Honor" (although I did know a few who were named "Christian") or their daughter "Purity"? Perhaps not. In our current society a name like that might only serve to subject the child to teasing and ridicule by other children who, if they even know the true meaning and life consequences of such words, may not have been taught that these are worthwhile/desirable attributes. Also of course, these days, there is always the danger that some individual or group is going to postulate that such names are not "politically correct/culturally sensitive". That they are or may be "an affront" to the non-Christian/Jewish community. This sort of statement has become so rife that I am just waiting for someone to name their son or daughter with such an appelation, and then have one of these aforementioned strange-o's go to court in a civil suit to demand that the child either have their name changed or that they be withdrawn from public school (and life) because of the "harmful" (to others) social implications of his/her name. (My Dutch wife once told me that she had concluded that there was only one phrase one actually needed in English, which was "I will sue". She was kidding at the time, but still......all humor, to be effective humor, needs to contain at least a kernel of truth. Perhaps my problem is that by carrying out some of the whinings which we hear and see every day from the more "activist" portions of society to their logical conclusion(s), the basic action or belief can become ridiculous. Or scary. I can see these names being labeled as "too religious". Question: Okay, "Faith" might be a problem, but since when has "Purity", "Hope"or "Honor" been solely a perogative/action/sign of religious belief and not with daily life? Especially any one particular religion. Isn't "purity" a good idea irrespective of one's religious belief system (or the absence thereof)? Actually, in these times, might not a girl named "Hope" or a boy named "Honor" (let us call to mind the author Honoré de Balzac) be a genuine inspiration to those around them, especially if they actually exhibited those traits in a very quiet and understated manner in the living of their own private and public lives? Perhaps it is because I have been around for more than half a century and my ideas have become (as described) "arcane", but there was a time, as pointed out in previous articles, when people's lives (especially those of children) were often improved by the example of those around them who quietly exhibited (as they were expected to by their parents who were deeply involved in their training and discipline). Of course it was expected and understood that the parents would exhibit in their own lives what were/might be considered as the core values of personal worth and societal conduct. As noted at the beginning, these are just meanderings. However, perhaps (hopefully) they will give the reader some cause for consideration and rumination or even implementation, a Renaissance. This author devoutly (whether that offends the usual pains-in-the-neck or not) hopes so. Opinion
Piece # 13 |