This morning, as I was running with Elizabeth, we stopped at the Arboretum for a bathroom break. As I was waiting for her, I saw a wall that had some pictures of birds that people had spotted near the park. I was delighted to see this picture of the steller jay as we had seen one on a run a few weeks before and I had not known the name of the beautiful bird before.
It made me think about the importance of naming.
It reminded me of the book by Madeleine L'Engle called A Wind in the Door that I read a number of years ago.
There is an exchange between Meg, the teenage heroine of the book, and an angel named Progo.
There is an exchange between Meg, the teenage heroine of the book, and an angel named Progo.
Progo is explaining why he is calling out the names of the stars. He knows they need to be named in order for peace to exist on earth.
The enemy of peace is a force called the Ecthroi, which Progo interprets to Meg this way:
“I think your mythology would call them fallen angels. War and hate are their business, and one of their chief weapons is un-Naming – making people not know who they are. If someone knows who he is, really knows, then he doesn’t need to hate. That’s why we still need Namers, because there are places throughout the universe like your planet Earth. When everyone is really and truly Named, then the Echthroi will be vanquished.”
I want you to know your name, Taylor, and my prayer with your "Crossing" and your birthday celebration this month is for you to know more deeply who you are. Because when you know who you are, you don't need to hate. And then you can be a Namer too---
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