What’s In A Name

I believe we all take for granted that we have a name and we use it.  In fact how many times as a kid did you want to change your name?  What would a you with a different name look like, act like, be like?  I think a lot about having a name especially after the events at Virginia Tech.  One of the reports stated that the young man at the center of this tragedy sat in a class, in the back of the room and signed in on the attendance sheet with a question mark.

I can’t imagine not having the self-esteem or self-worth to write my name on a sheet of paper and have someone know who I am.  I find it sad (not an excuse for his actions) that his life was lived in relative anonymity.  It’s clear that he had multiple issues, but to be nameless is the equivalent of being invisible. 

I urge you to fight anonymity.  I urge you to use your name often and with pride.  I urge you to swim against the current of anonymity toward a life of being known for who you are and what you stand for.  I believe your life will be richer leaving the land of the anonymous and entering a world full of acknowledgment.