A Name *Dao*

What is a name? What power does it hold? I used to think a name held power over me, shaped my destiny, and even made my identity. A name is a word, a word is something created by man, created to identify with an object so they can understand it.

I used to be very proud of my name, used to be very protective of my name. I sit and think about this subject tonight and realize a name is of no importance to a person. For the last several months Sprint techs call me Jason, I guess I could sound like a Jason, and it does not bother me to answer and let it slip to the wayside.

Lately I correct them not because it bothers me, but because there is a Jason among the techs now and I would like their documentation correct. Personally I think I would answer to any name, as I just see it as a noun to identify with me and that is about all a name is worth to me.

At one time I thought a name held my destiny, I thought I had to be more than what I was able to be. Jacob being a leader in the bible, only after trickery. Meant I had to be smarter and sly to get anywhere. For the most part that was my life in the early years. I even formed a new identity to gain power as such Dragons were the symbol of power and wisdom.

Years have gone by. Though I seem to reflect more in these days than in the past I come to many conclusions. One conclusion is that when a name becomes the source of pride, and control then the ego is released and the spiral down to oblivion will start.

Does your pride make you who you are? Does your name? Does your destiny run upon such things? Being a humble person seems to suit me better than what I did in my past. Learning my path, my Dao in the last 2 years have given me more to learn. I learned that I am just a single piece of the Dao, and a name was given to identify that one piece in order to track its journey. There is no meaning or control in regards to that name, it is just a word to identify with, but in that identity the Dao energy is manipulated into a singularity by the human ego, by pride, and by greed.

Sun Wukong, Wukong meaning "Awaken to Emptiness" sounds mean and cruel. The idea of someone calling another person stupid is what many come to believe. I however have a different idea of the matter. Dao tries to bring a person to still mind, one that does not occupy itself with the outside storms that rage. I think Sun was honored to have this name because where there is emptiness there is stillness.

Once again though it was just a name to identify with Sun. It did not control his destiny, and it surely did not give him any power, or mean really much to what he was to become.

I went through my childhood disliking my name, then a time where it was my pride, and now to a point where it is just a name. A person searching for an identity can not rely on a name to form that identity. A name does not make a person, but the actions make the being.

If I went by any other name, it would not matter, as the actions of a person makes the person who they are. The last 2 years have been long at times, and short at other times. I have lived but a moment in time, and yet have lived several life times in those brief moments. My actions have been kind and yet somehow still seem cruel at times.

A name is given to a person for their life time. If a person lived a life time in moments then how can you call that name for the current lifetime. What do you call a person that has no name, and no desire to remain in what most people see as daily life? What do you call a fool that is a sage? A sage that is a fool? Thinking about the last 2 years and the things I have seen, the things I have done, makes my name seem small. It makes my being seem compressed into a small area that never seems to burst.

A name, a word or noun picked out by a parent to try to give a child a destiny, or an identity. What happens when that child takes control or throws out that name and decides they will form their own identity with actions not names. What if they become kind, but were named after a meaning of cruel rulers, or power hungry men? Would the name be suitable then? Can you change your destiny by changing you name? A being is still the same being regardless of what you call them, only by actions do they ever change their destiny, their final journeys end point.

Not a religious end point, but the idea of leading a life that could potentially have given others a good start on life, or a less rocky life style, or even a more peaceful exit off the stage. Actions regardless of the size can have a grand effect. A word can cause a person tumbling into oblivion, to start the climb back up, support to that person can help them climb faster up the ravine. Monetary assistance can help a person get back on their feet, or make the roads a head a little more bearable even if they were still rocky. A dinner to show a friend you care, can help bring them from feeling down to feeling loved.

The actions one performs will not be known the results until the end destination of that person. Wouldn't it be better though to perform the actions just to try to help another out without any gain to oneself, or praise of another. But with the full intention of making their life a little better.

I care not about my depressions, or my hardships, just as long as those do not get in the way of giving me the ability to help others, help friends, and help strangers as well. I can bear the weight of the world if it meant that is what I had to do in order to see the young smile, the middle age have an easier life, and the old to exit in peace. I would bear it all on my shoulders if that is what was needed. My name has no roots to such thoughts, to such caring and to such ideas. A name is nothing but an fictional identity. A name to me is a self idea. How am I different from another, only by actions am I different, but the same blood, the same energy that pours out of another pours out of me. Their is no difference of the flowers only the name of the vase that holds the flowers.

So a name is unimportant in the Dao, honor is just as unimportant, and pride is the thought that will strip the Dao away from you.