what is in a name

What is in a name? Having multiple personalities means having multiple names. Names I chose for myself that all have meaning and are symbolic.
The name of this blog live art 3 has significance for me. The first word live has many meanings. It could be a verb meaning continue to exist and create memories. to remain alive or dwell in a place. How about the adjective used to describe a bomb not yet exploded as in "Its a live one!" or referring to a live wire connected to an electric power. Live denotes my fears and hopes in writing. Fears that it will stir up my memories, threaten my safe little life or be like a bomb for those people reading this blog who know me personally. My hopes are that it will be connected to a power . and that it will have life.
Then there is art. Just yesterday I had a discussion about what qualifies as art. Every person I have ever talked with about this has a different opinion about art.  Being an artist I think about this often. My take on it is that art is a product of meditation . Art's purpose is to inspire, give beauty and to lift one closer to God. Its self expression at its best.
Then there is the number 3 that represents three of us, God you and me.The title Beauty for Ashes comes from a time when an idea helped me hang on to my life. I was so hopeless that I felt like my life had caught on fire and burned into a heap of ash. I wanted to see something in my life other than black and gray soot. It felt so ugly and all I could see in my past was darkness. I read Isa. 61:3 . that those who mourn in Zion would be given beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, that in the end the Lord would be glorified.
As an ordinary human I see potential for abuse by my ego in writing a blog. There are many ways blogs separate us from each other. The writer claims to be special or different in some way. They call attention to appearances. The photo of a beautiful person in attractive clothes is an interesting part of a blog.  The blog in addition to attracting followers also is used for comparison, identifying with the writer, or creating jealousy. If attraction is not the goal then sometimes its added respect or esteem for the writer. I have settled for being wanted instead of being truly loved.
In the beginning of my life I lived in a desert. Where love was a rare commodity like water. there was just enough of it to barely survive. I believed that my parents didn't love me. I know now that they did, but their mistakes were too dramatic for me to believe I was lovable at any deep level. I know now I was loved the most those around me were capable of and that now I am loved fully by family, friends and me. What I really want is the same as  what you really want, to be loved. We are all seeking genuine love. Telling you how special I am, no matter how artfully I accomplish it, separates us rather than joins us. "I am different from you" . Whether you think the differences are negative or positive does not lead to feelings of oneness.For oneness to occur there must be love.
If you can feel connected to me without knowing my race, religion, or social status. If you can love me because of something you read from me, I will rejoice.
I used to feel angry when someone declared love for a whole group of people without knowing them. I did not understand how that was possible. If you did not know my name how could you claim to know me. Besides I was under the premise I was unlovable so it made it even more impossible in my mind.   Now here I am saying I love you without knowing you at all. I love you because you are human and I know by loving others I am happy. It is possible for there to be an extension of love on the Internet that is a powerful connection. So back to what is in a name? I hope we can live art, the 3 of us, you, me and God.