Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Naming Ceremony

I think Jackson needs a naming ceremony. It's tradition in this culture to have a ceremony, but they're generally religious based--Christenings, Blessings, Dedications to God, What have you's. Religion has it's positives and negatives, but I think there's real value in ceremony. Since as his parents, we choose to be unaffiliated, Jackson isn't getting the benefit of the laying on of hands that we had as children. I was hoping to find some nice Wiccan friends to perform a ceremony for me when I had children, but in Connecticut, I've been unable to find, attract, and keep the fringe liberals as friends. (Sure, we have "liberal " friends, but they're more social rights type, not the free-spirited earth loving types I knew in the paradoxically conservative Utah.) There's a Peace activist church a few miles away which we could join, and find ceremony with. My mom, Jackson's Nana, had a great sugestion. That is: we make up our own ceremony. Invite our friends over, spill some wine, hold Jackson up naked to the full moon, and light off fireworks. This is a ceremony that might be doable. If any of you wants to participate--and wouldn't mind stopping off in Pennsylvania for some great fireworks, let me know! And I'm still open to other suggestions.

3 comments:

  1. You know we are in! Ben suggests after the fourth of July. We will be happy to make the stop in PA (he knows all the hot spots). We should prolly remember to warn the neighbors =)

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  2. Go for it, Sheree! I wish I could attend. Hey, you let me know when it is and I'll see what I can do.

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  3. we had a "welcoming" ceremony for Elliot at Christmas...all my parent's wonderful friends brought something to read to Elliot: we told them it could be anything, a poem, a scripture, a song, anything that was meaningful...we ended up with everything from Shel Silverstein to Bob Dylan to Mary Oliver. We collected all the readings and put them in a box for Elliot to have as he grows.

    I LOVE the idea of nude fireworks...we might have done similar had it not been December and dastardly cold. :)

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