Karma's Kolumn: Good Advice from a Dog -- The Importance of Names

I want to tell you a little about myself.  I'm a female with golden brown hair and turned 11 years old on April 25.  I'm a Chow mix and formerly lived in Providence but now reside in Seekonk.  I purchased a dog license in Seekonk earlier this spring and now have dual citizenship in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.  That means I can travel freely between Seekonk and Providence, no questions asked.  This is good because it's no longer possible to obtain a passport at the Seekonk Town Clerk's office.  I like to have my needs met locally as a way of supporting the Town of Seekonk, so I'm not sure I would go elsewhere to get a passport.

My name is Karma, which brings me to the subject of the importance of names.  I am fortunate to have been given this name, because names affect one's image, self confidence, and the expectations others have.  I know myself that I'm good Karma, but that's also reinforced by what others say to me.  No one wants bad karma so nobody ever calls me bad Karma.  I feel good about myself when people keep calling me good Karma.  It helps my self-esteem and gives my sense of confidence a boost. 

I have two friends who are named Phoebe, which is a very lovely name.  When I go outside, the birds keep calling "phoebe, phoebe, phoebe," even when neither of my friends is around.  This, of course, reminds me of my friends, so I have pleasant thoughts about them and look forward to their next visit.

Some girls are named Rose.  Can you imagine growing up knowing you're a rose and having everyone call you Rose?  I never saw an ugly rose, so someone named Rose will very likely be a beautiful person.

My step-brother is named Jonathan, which means "gift of God."  This means he should never act in an ungodly fashion.  His name is also three syllables, which had a nice ring to it when his mother called out the back door, "Jon-a-than, din-ner time!"

There's a very sad story about a lady in Texas who was named Ima, after a person in a poem written by her uncle.  Ima wouldn't have been a bad name if her last name was Rose.  In fact, Ima Rose would have been a wonderful name.  The trouble is her last name was Hogg.  Ima Hogg is an excellent name for a pig.  A pig could say quite proudly, "Ima Hogg."  But for a person to be named Ima Hogg is very embarrassing for Ms. Hogg and very awkward for everyone introduced to her. 

When you name a child or a pet, I recommend that you pick a name that will provide a strong sense of self worth, encourage good behavior and an agreeable personality, and help the child or pet realize its full potential. 

I'm interested in learning about your experience with names.  I hope you like your name as much as I like mine.