Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Lost Name Tags

The Lost Name Tags
Weather--Clear and warming
Temp--Minus 1.7 (30F) Wind--Strong 18-25 mph

After 21 months in the mission field, I lost my name tags SOMEWHERE. I have worn that tag daily and managed to keep track of it all this time. What went wrong?

I cannot believe that it just jumped off my coat lapel because it has an alligator clip with very strong teeth and it could not just fall off. Maybe it doesn't want to go home. Maybe this is another of those inanimate objects that has developed some sort of intelligence and is making its own decisions.

I cannot blame it for wanting to stay here and if it had just talked to me about how it feels, I would have worked something out. I have several extra ones that I could use and could have just clipped it to the curtain and that would have been OK with me, but it just seems to have taken things into its own, well, hands? No, its own teeth. I am just disappointed that it felt that we couldn't talk this thing out and found a compromise somehow.

Other missionarys' name tags seem perfectly content to go home with their owners. Owners? Well yes, these objects, particularly name tags are named after the person who does, actually, own them. Look at how content Elder Tanner's and Elder Swenson's name tags seem to be on their shirts. No contention. No independent thought or action; just doing their name-tag-things like they were created to do.

If any name tag would be independent thinking, it would be Elder Olson's. He was a self-motivated independent thinking young man with his own ideas. Although a great Financial Elder, he had his own direction. Now, that could infect a name tag with all kinds of ideas about finding itself and making a statement, but no. His name tag filled the measure of its creation and did its job.

Now, Elder Ahuna. There's a real potential for name tag rebellion. This elder is so relaxed, I would not be surprised to see his name tag do almost anything including being AWOL. I don't think that there is a tense centimeter on his entire frame. He is a friend to everyone and OK with anything, BUT, now that I think about it, his shirt tail HAS been showing signs of imitating his relaxed demeanor by hanging out and refusing to be tucked in. That's right! Another case of attitude infection of an inanimate object. This could be worthy of further study. zzzzzz 
 Thank goodness our new missionaries don't seem to have this problem. It's hard enough coming into the mission field with so much new without having your name tag giving you fits. Sister Fesenko here is showing great name tag control and discipline. She even has the same clip that mine has and hers is behaving just right. It's a sign of complete control when everything works as it should.
Whatever the cause, I am anxious to find and reconnect with my name tag and maybe come to some agreement on what's expected of it.

Maybe then it will become an agent of change and be a good influence on my pens that also seem to be unwilling to stay where I put them. They must share a common ancestor with this name tag.

What a country
DS

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not sure where you're going to find your name tag but I did get a giggle out of seeing the wallpaper on the wall. Only because it reminded me of the pattern on my grandmother's china which I now have. Hope you find your name tag. Also if you ever have anymore problems with your back check out an osteopath. I'm sure Russia must have them. Loved them while I lived in England. Liz

Trisha said...

Okay I can read in between the lines. Well at least for me that is all about my kids. Wanting to be independant and on their own. Finding their own way. Getting lost sometimes too. Not wanting to talk to you about things. Wow what a parallel to life. How cool i am growing up.

Shannon said...

You're funny dad. You will find your name tag when it wants to be found ;)