What's In a Name

What’s in a name? That’s what Juliet wants to know when she sadly discovers the last name of her beloved Romeo. And as a way of coping…of cushioning the pain… “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” She doth explain. Like most people I’ve had a variety of names…which I have happily worn… James is the name my parent gave me on the day that I was born. But as I grew up James seemed too formal and one day…on a whim…I made the decision from that day forward that everyone would call me Jim. Then I married and lo and behold…a father I became…. I was Jim to my wife and Daddy to my children…suddenly I had two names. And when my daughter married and a mother she became… I was Jim and Dad and PopPop…now I had three names. My christened name James was biblical…it had dignity and grace… but Jim and Dad and PopPop are the names that bring a smile to my face. Three names I am now called that help to make my life complete. It matters not which one I hear for they all sound as sweet. Whatever I’m called my hope remains the same… that you embrace the person I am…the one who stands behind the name. So when I’m gone…when I’ve finally departed this world..this time..this place… whatever name you remember me by…will bring a smile to your face. Perhaps that should be our goal in life…our one ambition…our final aim… I wonder if that’s what Juliet meant when she asked…What’s in a name?’