Comments on: Readings for a naming ceremony

Question: Readings for a naming ceremony

ericbop — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 06:42:24 -0800

We're naming our new daughter this weekend, in front of family, friends, and coworkers. Any suggestions of lyrics/poetry/prose that would be appropriately inspirational and awesome? Something with the message: "Welcome to the world, now go kick some ass!" (in a compassionate, empowering sense, not an Ultimate Fighter sense, unless that's what she wants to be when she grows up...)

The naming is on the obscure Jewish holiday of Lag B'omer, so bonus points for any of the following symbolic resonances:

-bonfires
-bows and arrows (or other bows, such as rainbows, or arching/bending in general)
-haircuts

By: thirteenkiller

thirteenkiller — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 06:52:44 -0800

Religious content y/n?

By: mooders

mooders — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 06:55:02 -0800

Firstly, congratulations!

I found Marianne Williamson's poem very inspirational when we christened our child.

Sorry for the lack of bonus points contenders :(

Have a great ceremony!

By: ericbop

ericbop — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:19:50 -0800

any content (religious, literary, cultural) is fine - although if religious it should be Jewish or non-denominational. thanks for the suggestion, mooders!

By: Sassyfras

Sassyfras — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:36:54 -0800

My favorite quote is from Louis Pasteur:

When I approach a child, [s]he inspires in me two sentiments; tenderness for what [s]he is, and respect for what [s]he may become.

Not really kick-ass, but . . .

By: thinkingwoman

thinkingwoman — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:46:55 -0800

kurt vonnegut:

Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies -- 'God damn it, you've got to be kind.'

By: craven_morhead

craven_morhead — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:49:45 -0800

I'd stick with the ultimate fighter ass-kicking

By: Ambrosia Voyeur

Ambrosia Voyeur — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:26:39 -0800

I've always liked this selection from the preface to LEaves of grass:

"This is what you shall do: Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful uneducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families, read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body…"

By: pomegranate

pomegranate — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:30:01 -0800

This is not quite "welcome, go kick some ass, " but we plan to use it at our baby-welcoming thingie soon:

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

By: pomegranate

pomegranate — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:31:37 -0800

(Kahlil Gibran of course)

By: ericbop

ericbop — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:35:38 -0800

we thought of the Gibran reading, too. and bonus points for the archery image!!

By: bink

bink — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:02:36 -0800

I think you should assume Ultimate Fighter until she decides otherwise. I hope her name lends itself well to a kickass nickname that will sound good coming out of Bruce Buffer's mouth... Chrissie "THE CRIPPLER" Snow, something like that. Maybe you should just give her the UFC middle name from the beginning.

Seriously, I was going to suggest the Vonnegut thing, but thinkingwoman beat me to it, so I kid.

By: librarianamy

librarianamy — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:37:32 -0800

I've always thought that Natalie Merchant's "Wonder" would be a good song for a little girl to hear.

"Ooo, I believe, fate, fate smiled
And destiny laughed as she came to my cradle
Know this child will be able
Laughed as my body she lifted
Know this child will be gifted
With love, with patience, and with faith
She'll make her way, she'll make her way"

By: Loto

Loto — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:29:20 -0800

All I'm saying is how awesome would it be for her to be welcomed to the world with "For those about to rock" by AC/DC?

By: croutonsupafreak

croutonsupafreak — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 21:46:49 -0800

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrendering, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are a vexation to the spirit. If you compare yourself, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing
fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment love is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrender the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentile to yourself. You are a
child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labor and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of
life, keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy."
- by Max Ehrmann.