Tonight I wanted to talk a little about tolerance. I was having a conversation on Facebook with a friend about Celebrities who name their children odd names. I agree that on the outside some of these children will lead hard lives because of their names. Even my own daughter has a unique name which may to some, leave her open for attack. I am ready to deal with that if it ever arises. Whose fault is it though? Is it my fault for giving my daughter a beautiful, unique name? Is it the fault of the celebrity who names their child after a fruit, or some other unusual name? Some people suggest that the parents are who is to blame. Why submit your child to such ridicule?
I am of a different school of thought though. Why should we have to live in such a world where originality is frowned upon? Would it not serve our children, us, and the future better to teach our children tolerance? Is that not one of the most important lessons we as humans can learn? Or do we just perpetuate the cycle. Name our children Jennifer, and Michael, and Susan, and Jane. Let our children be just like everyone else. When we do that aren't we giving into intolerance? Aren't we saying that it is more important to be like the crowd than to stand out?
A name is a very personal choice for every parent. Why should someone have to conform to someone else's idea of perfection? Isn't it really true that the honest perfection is in our differences? I think it should be the same for our names. I do not want to be the same as everyone else out there. I certainly do not want my daughter to be like every other Jennifer, Jane, and Cindy. No, she is Isobel Emmaline. She is one of a kind. That is what our names should be. So how can we make fun of someone for being themselves, for being different? Why does it even matter? I submit that the most important lesson we can teach our children is that being different and being unique, and being yourself is one of the most important things you can do in life.
Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? The answer for the rose is yes. For us though, we are defined by our names. All of our experiences come from how we perceive the world and how it perceives us. Wouldn't it be a better world if we didn't have to worry about someone making fun of us because of our names? Maybe just maybe, if we taught our children the value of being different, of being extraordinary, it would spill over into other areas of tolerance as well. If they learned that making fun of someone just because of their name is ridiculous, maybe they would connect that to other differences as well. Maybe the racial divide and the religious divide would close just a little. Maybe if we fostered a spirit of independence, and originality all the things that cause war or fighting would be nullified. Of course I could be dreaming… Oh, but what a dream!
