A name

I am not particularly attached to my name. At least I do not delight in the way that it sounds when spoken aloud, or feel pride in the familial implications of the surname. However, I am at times fascinated by the idea that within a name, one possesses the representation of his identity in its purest form. Once a person becomes classified by his activities, such as the job he has, or by his features, say, by having a wide face or an athletic physique, he loses the individuality he began with and becomes a mere comparative example to people who possess similar qualities. A name represents purity—the purity of the individual. My name is Ian Thomas Lynch, and though I may not be the only person to bear this name, it still serves as a referral to my unique identity when applied in the right context, and from there, one is free to hold his own ideas of what it represents. And though it is my mission to define my name so that it becomes the most accurate representation of my identity, I refuse to embrace vague descriptions that attempt to diminish the true associations one makes when regarding my name. So when contemplating such matters as my purpose in life and what it is for me to do in order to achieve self-fulfillment and satisfaction, I often like to consider who it is exactly that will be making that action, and who will be affecting the future.