The first thing a child is given is a name.

The child is not consulted. The label is put on the infant and the individual is stuck with it for the rest of their life (except for those brave enough to change it).

Grace Violetta was named after

(1) an Irish pirate woman, and
(2) a character in an opera by Verdi who was a delicate flower.

A warrior woman and an ill sweetheart - what a combination to live up to!

I was asked recently whether I was a “management consultant” and this is what started me off on this theme.

The first social thing I was called was my name. My father had a thing about Paul the apostle, a transformational character. Dad must have had some sort of intention that I would live up that example.

I certainly hope Grace becomes a woman with spirit who cow-tows to noone. But I want her to sing like an angel, and exhibit a fragility that is in keeping with the human condition.

The name the child is given is a bit of IMAGINATIVE CONSTRUCTION, isn’t it? You imagine what you’d like the person to become and you give her a name in the hope that she’ll live up to it.

Similarly, when I started to write poems in 1995, I got some wonderful advice from someone: “if you want to become a poet, call yourself a poet“.

So far this has worked for me, and I have certainly become a poet.

Now I am a playwrite.

I have started my first play and I will finish it this weekend. Not surprisingly, it is a sort of homage to Beckett.

If I knew how to put a hyperlink on to the first few lines, I’d be tempted to publish it in first draft form, on Tuesday. But I haven’t the courage or stupidity to publish it in its entirity, as if I expected my regular readers to lap it all up.

It’ll certainly be a minority taste. All the action takes place in a graveyard. However, that may mislead: the action takes place inside the minds of the characters, most of whom remain in the graveyard.

But the writing of this play has distracted me from blogging.

It’s also challenged me to live up to the name of playwrite.

My next post will be on Tuesday. Have a wonderful Easter.