(Barby Dalbosco, via Unsplash.com and used under Creative Commons zero)
by Nancy Linenkugel
Contributor
Several weeks ago media announced that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West named their new baby boy Saint West, who recently joined his two-year-old sister, North West, to round out the family. While "North" is an interesting name for a girl, both "north" and "saint" are words that point heavenward. Hmmm, maybe these celebrity parents are on to something.
Each of us seeks authenticity. That ability to truly be one's self goes way beyond any pretenses and faked conventions to impress other people. Do you like me for who I am? If not, does that matter?
A related phrase is "finding true north." True north is different than a compass pointing north. A compass is fixed on magnetic regions, but these can shift, and just because a compass says you're going in a north direction, you might only be going sort-of north. A magnetic compass isn't as accurate as finding true north by following the longitudinal lines on a map.
Latitude and longitude are fine if you're traveling from one place to another. But what about inner travels? What about moving forward with my life or career or relationships or any number of other things? There aren't maps published for those.
Navigating via an inner true north gets you to those destinations. This calls for unwavering values and principles and beliefs that are all pointed upward to inspire a life response. Little Saint West and North West already have a head start with their lofty names.
[Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati Ohio.]