Called By Name

Only a few days ago I made a new friend named Abbey. Her age is seven years. I remember Abbey when she was a baby but she cannot remember me from that earlier time. It so happened that she said to me on seeing me, “As soon as I heard your name I thought you were famous.” “Really?” I replied. Feeling a bit shaken by her proclamation of my fame I failed to ask her what she was told was my name. Next day, we were out for a walk to a store together and she brought up the subject again and again. I wondered what she meant. Then she said so brightly, “Johnny Whooperswan, I was sure you were very famous when I first heard your name.” She repeated my name several times in a hurry and each time it rang with joy from her young, little heart. I cannot say how marvelous it made me feel. Then she told me, “I am going to tell all my friends I met Johnny Whooperswan and he is very famous”, and laughed out loud.

Now she calls Johnny Whooperswan whenever she decides to call me. And the manner in which it flows from that child is music. And the best part, the reason I want to tell this story, is that I understand from the sounds in my ear when she does that Abbey does not mean by “famous” what definition is locked in my head of words. The very name to her has a real magic quality I feel when she says it. It is definitely related to music. And it makes me feel so very special. And it brings up in me a memory of a time when I myself was most strongly drawn to a sound that I could rely on to open up a door to a special place where something good lives. Somehow that search is innate to humans.

Then I heard, via Netflix, Joseph Campbell, an expert in myths from all around the Earth introduce one from India that ends up by telling that all people are in some way titled as special and we are countless in number and we arise from the belly of Vishnu with a bag of thunderbolts to serve awhile but whenever we get to feeling arrogant about it we become as one more tiny ant. In the midst of the wonder of my name spoken by Abbey with such definite purpose I like the myth very much indeed and accept its challenge for me. I been noticed. But I understand I am just an ordinary man living an ordinary life which happens to be miraculous!