Do you ever call your waiter by his/her name? I have a friend named Tex who is a street performer. I walk by him on my way to my sister's apartment when I go into the city. I don't know if his real name is Tex but he wears a name tag on his jacket. It's one of those that says Hello my name is...So I started up a conversation with him about his name tag.
He told me that everyone sees him as person on the corner who plays the sax. Most people think that Tex is homeless because he plays on the streets. Alto of people actually won't even look into his eyes because they don't want to associate with him. Tex wears the name tag because he wants people to know him and to see him as a human with a purpose and a meaning.
After I met Tex I started to use name tags. I started calling people by their names when I am in a restaurant or while I am in the grocery store. The fascinating thing is the reaction that I get from people. They are shocked that I know their name because they usually forget that they are wearing a name tag. Then they are usually pretty conversational. They usually want to know your name.
I think it's because when people feel like they mean something. When they are not just fulfilling a role as your waiter or as the local grocer. These men and women who become identified as they were named at birth come out of their shells. They let you into their lives. It's so easy to wear a name tag on your shirt that is stereotypical. When I see someone wearing all black I think-Goth. When I see someone wear a letter jacket I think-Wow that jock is still stuck in high school. These stereotypes are name tags that people wear on their shirts. They cause separation. If I have a bad stereotype of someone I usually won't talk to them. I keep my distance.
But everyone has a dream. Every single person wants to have a meaning, a purpose to their life. I guess that's why Purpose Driven Life has sold so many copies. It's not that it's the most profound literary work of the century, it's because people long for meaning.
When will I stop wondering what my meaning is? Where do I find it? What does life really mean?
It makes me feel great when someone calls me by my name and it still surprises me especially if I haven't really talked to the other person before. It makes me want to learn peoples names too.
Posted by: Janus | August 27, 2007 at 11:05 PM
When will I stop wondering what my meaning is? Where do I find it? What does life really mean?
when you stop wondering and start getting into action. get out of yourself. find someone less fortunate and stop dwelling on yourself so much.
Posted by: a | August 28, 2007 at 11:49 AM
to a:
I don't think you can really give to those less fortunate until you understand yourself and find meaning. At least it won't have meaning until you do, and until then, what is the point?
keep working on you Joe, everything else will follow...
Posted by: Shelley | August 29, 2007 at 01:41 PM
When people who don't know me (like sales people) call me by my first name, it bothers me. It's a false intimacy. Intimacy takes time and trust and hard work.
Posted by: lorinda | August 29, 2007 at 03:06 PM
"don't think you can really give to those less fortunate until you understand yourself and find meaning. At least it won't have meaning until you do, and until then, what is the point?"
What's the point? Making the world a better place? Helping someone in need? It's about giving to the other person and therefore to GOd, not specifically about personal fulfillment.
Anyway, "the heart is desperately wicked, who can know it?" (somewhere in the Bible)
You can only understand yourself as God reveals yourself to you.
Posted by: a | August 31, 2007 at 04:04 PM