By any other name

Who are you anyway?

Perhaps it's enough when going back generations just to get a first name and a relationship and forget the rest. I wonder if God remembers everyone's whole name or do we just go by a first name or possibly a number?

I just realized my new great granddaughter is being referred to as baby Juliet by her parents. This morning I found out her middle name is Lynn. I guess a middle name really doesn't make her any more whole.

Women get a bad break on the name game. Just as soon as they marry their last name changes. That is unless they are a celebrity. Then they get to keep the name they were born with whatever their gender. I remember when I began writing a column for our local paper. I refused to refer to women I was interviewing by their last name. For instance, Gunn said. I always added a Miss, Mrs.or Ms. or simply used their first name.To me it was disrespectful not to. If they were married their last name was only borrowed anyway.

In my case I'm no longer an original. I began life as Barbara Loure` Halverson, which changed to Barbara Smith in 1959 and again to Barbara Gunn in 1972. Where did I go? 

I have been tying to sort out my relatives and I am about ready to give up. I keep asking myself, by any other name are you still you?