A rose, my A.N.E Other name...

I had the benefit of studying Romeo and Juliet at school, and much of it I still enjoy. The following passage has been used to suggest that it is not what we are called that is important but what we are.

JULIET:
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

Far from it for me to take issue with the bard but!

I was recently reading a running magazine (how sad!) and an article about at what stage you can actually call yourself a runner. I have already joked that I am actually a jogger but this is a moot point. At what level, personal or competitive can someone actually call themselves a runner? I find the same question with my weekly Disciple course, do I start the journey as a disciple or is that where I end up?

The article in the running magazine concluded that the only achievement you need to attain in naming yourself 'a runner' is to actually start running. The mental decision and the physical enacting of that will is what defines you, to misquote Descartes 'I run therefore I am a runner'. Unlike Shakespeare's rose whose sweetness is not impaired nor enhanced by its being named it seems that being called a runner has a benefit, it is an intrinsic part of mobilising the whole being into a new mindset.

I remember undertaking a different Christian discipleship course last year where we were told that for too long the church has labelled people 'sinners' what do 'sinners' do? They sin! If I put myself down for long enough and tell myself that I am bad then it will not take me long to really start to believe it and act more that way. The course reminded us that the Bible often calls Christians 'saints', maybe by adopting this more positive mindset might we be inspired to live up to that calling.

So I am a runner! Yes there you go I said it, the cat is out the bag, I now must live up to what that means.

Oh and by the way last week I bought myself a bicycle - having now ridden it I think that means I am also a cyclist!