What's in a name?

I have a confession to make. I wrote this draft a few months ago but didn't actually publish it. Let's be honest, it's so easy sometimes to put stuff off or say I am too tired to write but I know that what I am doing will become very important so I am making a vow to myself to get to work and start my blog FOR REAL!For my first post, I think I will talk about how I've been wanting to start a blog. Scratch that, I did have one years ago but never regularly updated it. It was during my Masters in Social Work where I realized that I have so much to say and needed a place to express myself. Over the years, especially NOW I post at least 20-30 times a day. Most of the time, the posts are about something in the world, health, judaism, religion, spirituality and things that really strike a cord with me. So today's the day, I have decided to finally dive in and begin this journey of blogging. I know that some days, I won't want to update it but I will at least once a week and I think it will help me to not post as much on Facebook. Before writing my first post, I couldn't decide what the name of my blog should be but I knew I wanted it to do something with using my voice to heal or repair the world in some way. After some people suggested I use tikkunelana, it stuck and I know that I wanted to use this name for quite some time...it was only a matter of jumping in and starting this journey with myself and with the world. Many people who know me, know that I identify as a Jew.Names in Judaism:The naming of a Jewish child is a most profound spiritual moment. The Sages say that naming a baby is a statement of her character, her specialness, and her path in life. For at the beginning of life we give a name, and at the end of life a "good name" is all we take with us. (see Talmud – Brachot 7b; Arizal – Sha'ar HaGilgulim 24b)Being Jewish for me is not just a religion, it's a way of life for me and how I live in this world. Values and morals I use in my daily life (in no particular order and in my words):

1. To be good to one another and treat others the way you should be treated
2. To use my hands, morals, voice for good
3. To carry on what my ancestors instilled in me even if I never met them before

Hebrew name: Elana, which means Oak Tree, Light and HappinessTo me, my name does a really good job of describing who I am and who I am becoming. I see myself as a tree, I am always growing and reaching for more to get more connected to the world everyday and I will never stop growing, physically and spiritually. Bringing more light into the world and more peace.Named after Ethel, my father's grandmother's motherI imagine that I was named after her because she was someone who had deep inner desire to use their abilities in leadership and did much for the world. I hope that if she could see me now that she would be proud that I have used my name for good.I think that's it for my first post...onto the next one!