Thinking Out Loud, Volume DXXVI

There's just something that makes me feel good when people remember my name. People love to hear their own names, so it's important when we meet someone new, we should make every effort to remember his/her name. It seems like here lately I've been introduced to so many people in a short period of time, I'm having a hard time remembering all their names, and it makes me feel bad, so if you see me take a quick look at your name badge and then your face, please understand I'm working on connecting the two so it will be easier for me to remember it next time. There are some people, however, who know my name well, yet rarely use it, and I have to admit, I like it that way. For instance, two of the ones who know me best call me "Dad." I prefer they call me Dad instead of my name. My grandkids call me Poppa, and even a few of my good friends call me "Poppa P," while there are still others from my inner circle of friends who simply refer to me as "P." Yes, I like that, too. Terms like "Dad" and "Poppa" are not names; they are titles, or terms of endearment. When we stop to think about it, we realize that sometimes our titles say more about us than our names. Here are some examples of what I mean. If you're a football fan, you may be familiar with the name "Mean Joe Greene." His mom didn't name him "Mean." Other people gave him that title to describe the intensity with which he played the game. It's actually a term of respect. In the 80s movie, "Dragnet," there was a character who was referred to as "The Virgin Connie Swail." That title gives us a better description of her than just her name could ever give. Abraham Lincoln was often called "Honest Abe." Terms like that are given by other people to describe a pattern of behavior by the person wearing that title. It doesn't have the same effect when a person gives himself that title. In fact, if a man opens a used car lot and calls it "Honest Al's," it makes me a little suspicious of Ole Al. Occasionally, people are given titles as a sign of disrespect. Donald Trump seems to be a master at it, with names like "Lying Ted," and "Crooked Hillary." He is insinuating a pattern of behavior which may or may not be deserved. There's one person, however, who has been wearing a disrespectful title down through the centuries, and I doubt any of us know for sure whether it accurately depicts a pattern of behavior, because to be honest, he was given his title due to one mistake. I'm referring to a man known as "Doubting Thomas." Judging by the company he kept and the position he held, I get the opinion that he must've been a pretty good guy, yet the title he wears gives us a negative impression of him. I'm not sure he deserves to have a title that has given him a bad reputation down through history. How unfortunate it would be for any of us to have to walk in his shoes. I certainly hope my identity is not based on a single error of judgment. There's a big difference between a one time mistake and a pattern of behavior, or lifestyle, yet how many times have we seen someone else mess up, and that one infraction causes us to make that a part of that person's identity. Yes, I've been guilty, and yes, I've also been guilty of being a little skeptical of stories that seem hard to believe, but please don't start calling me "Doubting Preston." All of us should offer the same kind of grace we've been offered. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Preston