Blog 428 – 10.08.2016

I have a pretty common name, David White. At least it is not as common as John Smith, no disrespect to all you handsome, intelligent, and totally unique John Smith(s) out there. Shakespeare said, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Years ago I read a wonderful book by Dale Carnegie called How To Win Friends and Influence People. I remember one of the chapters was titled The Sweetest Name On Earth. The name Mr. Carnegie was referring to was one’s own name. We love to hear it and salesmen who know this try to remember our name and use it a lot because they want to sell us stuff.

When I was four or five my brother who is eighteen months younger than I am had a little trouble pronouncing David. His version sounded a lot more like Baby. He was such a sweet little guy, still is by the way, that I have loved being called Baby ever since. Whenever a waitress calls me honey, or sweetie she is sure to get a big tip. But when they call me Baby well let’s just say they get my undivided attention and I am even more generous.

May 6th is my brother’s birthday and he will be, let me do a little figuring. Sweet sixteen. Well, he may be a bit older than that but not much because I am young at heart and he is my younger brother.

I have had several nick names along the way. Mom always insisted I be called David not Davy or Dave. I was always more partial to Davy but she was pretty determined that her boys be called what she named them.

My name David literally means “beloved” so baby, sweetie, and honey are not far off. I guess darling is the closest. Several guys on the crews I work with love giving people nicknames. Jesus did that with some of his disciples. Simon he called Peter, that means stone or rock. I guess Jesus saw Simon like the old Chevy commercial and song “Like a rock.”

Some people think it is cute to joke about someone’s name but they don’t realize that we are all like God in that respect and don’t appreciate people taking our name in vain, using in incorrectly or frivolously. Big word, sorry about that. They pop out every once in a while.

What is in a name? I think every word has a meaning and most of them have several. And like the funny Geico commercial where Jessie rides into a “The End” caption on the screen and gets knocked off his horse, words really can hurt you. Oh, but a well chosen word can make you day. And that’s my job – finding and delivering daily the encouraging word. Here it is, get out there and knock ’em dead, Baby. Remember what Patrick Swayze said in the movie, Dirty Dancing, “No body puts Baby in the corner.” And kids don’t use that line with your mom or if do be sure to be close to the door so you can run. I can hear Humphrey Bogart as Rick in the movie Casablanca saying, “Here’s looking at you, Kid.” What’s in a name?

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White