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| Harriet |
We can learn a lot about a person by their nicknames. My father's favorite nickname for me was "Harriet." He also called me "Honey" and "Sugar Girl" quite often. But he used those for other people, too -- only Harriet was all mine. I don't know why or where or what. It never mattered. I WAS Harriet.
Somewhere along the line my brother Ken called me Reniebob. It stuck. Sometimes it gets shortened to Renie. Even Paul calls me Renie!
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| Irene "The Boss" t-shirt in its current life as a quilt |
Namesake
When
I tell Dennis
I'm
named for my
great
grandmother,
he
giggles. Sounds
like an old-lady name.
I
shrink a little
inside,
even though
I've
always
liked
my name –
especially
when Papa
tells
me stories
about
how that Irene
never
said a bad thing
about
anyone.
I
don't think I can
possibly
live up to that,
but
I want to try.
So
I push back my shoulders,
look
Dennis in the eye,
and
tell him the other
thing
I know about my name.
Actually,
Irene is the Greek
goddess of Peace.
And,
by the way,
old
ladies are cool.
I'm
going to be one
someday.
-->
- Irene Latham
Little Alma has six names (!), and she wants to know where they all come from. So her daddy introduces her to the people for whom she's been named. The book is wonderfully affirming and also leaves the reader with these questions: What is the story of your name? What story would you like it to tell?
The above poem is part of my answer. As for the story I'd like it to tell.... well, I think every book I write is the answer to that question! As is this blog... I hope the story "Irene" tells is this: "she lives her poem."
What about you, your name, your story?
How I love this post! Look at you, adorable Harriet!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the poem and learning about your various nicknames. I have a love/hate relationship with my name. I like it because hardly anyone else has it, but don't like it because everyone continues to mispronounce it (even after you've corrected them). "Jama" was made up by my parents, a combination of their first names "James" and "Margaret." :)
I love the story of your name, Jama!
DeleteJama, I love your name even more now that I know the backstory! Beautiful. You. XO
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about your name, Irene, like hugs meaning "I love you enough to find a special name for you." I haven't shared it yet, but also have that new book, Alma, lovely. I used to have my students write about their names, had them interview their parents about the "why" (if they didn't know). Of people of a "certain age", Linda is popular. My mother told me at the time everyone thought it was so exotic because it came from Spanish for 'beautiful' and was so different - ha! My middle name is Sue, after my mother, Suzanne.
ReplyDeleteMuy linda, your name is!
DeleteHello Harriet! Hey there Renie! Hi Irene. Such a sweet idea, to talk about our names. And appreciations for introducing me to Juana Martinez-Neal & her character, Alma, who looks adorable. I love the moxie of "Namesake." And yes you are a peacemaker.
ReplyDeleteMy name is not any other version of itself, such as Janice. It was to be Jennifer, but one of my aunts said I would be called Jenny & that a Jenny is the female version of a John (a toilet.) There is more to the story, but you are giving me the idea to write a poem.... Brilliant, generous person, you.
My father likes to say that I was almost named Revolution Now. Can you tell what era I was born (and whether my parents were hippies?)
ReplyDelete