What’s in a name?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” William Shakespeare

Why is it that the mere thought of a name can bring tears or heartache? A simple name can bring a smile or a snarl to the lips. It can create chaos or peace in a breath. It can bring ecstasy. It can bring pain.

I wonder about my own name. Has it brought fear or anxiety? Hatred? Has someone uttered my name with contempt? Or is it just an annoyance. Does the mention of my name bring a look of sheer disdain? Does it bring back 16 years of regret of even being with me? Or was it forgotten in a heartbeat? Does my name make someone utter in the night like an owl, “Who? Who? Who?”

Maybe my name brings a sort of sadness of moments lost. Maybe it brings joy, like seeing a butterfly flit by on the wind. Maybe…. Just maybe someday my name will be spoken in love.

Perhaps my name is a melody…

…and his will be a harmony.

Together, they make a song.

What is really in a name?

A heartbeat.

A memory.

A lyric.

A lifetime of sorrow.

A story of hope.

A poem.

A sharp intake of breath with the knowledge that in that simple whisper of your name, you were truly known and loved for everything you are or ever were.

A name can just be a name.

And it also can be so much more.