Be a Namer

Last night, we had a sendoff for Anna with our small group, and we took time to go around the room and have people share some memories and some advice for her as she launched. At one point, you talked about Anna's positivity and her kindness and shared some sweet stories that you remembered about her. 



What I loved about this was that your words were spot on and that you had found a way to name these gifts you appreciated about Anna so clearly and so succinctly. As I mentioned to you in the kitchen, this ability to name something and someone with such affirmation is indeed a gift.  

In the book A Wind in the Door (second in the Time Quintet), 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.”

Here's another quote from the book about this gift of Naming: 

“Well, then, if I’m a Namer, what does that mean? What does a Namer do?”  The wings drew together, the eyes closed, singly, and in groups, until all were shut. Small puffs of mist-like smoke rose, swirled about him. “When I was memorizing the names of the stars, part of the purpose was to help them each to be more particularly the particular star each one was supposed to be. That’s basically a Namer’s job. Maybe you’re supposed to make earthlings feel more human.”

Apparently Madeline L'Engle sometimes inscribed books with these words, "Be a Namer" when she signed books for people. 


So, those are my words to you today too.... 
Keep up the good work and 
Be a Namer. 

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