What’s In A Name
What’s In A Name
By Anna Hessel
A New Beginning…
As one of my milestone birthdays quickly approaches, my thoughts have wandered to my birth. I was privately adopted as a newborn by an older couple that were never meant to be parents. Through DNA testing and the state of Pennsylvania finally opening original birth certificate availability to adoptees a few years ago, I have been blessed with finding my biological family. So far I am in contact with two lovely sisters, a beautiful niece, and a couple of cousins and their families, one of whom has become one of my dearest friends. She has encouraged me to reach out to my other siblings and maintains our family tree with the accuracy of a brain surgeon – a truly amazing lady.
Oh Yeah, I Blend…
My adopted family was abusive and ashamed of my multi racial ethnicities. I, on the other hand, am thrilled to be an Irish, Italian, Hispanic, Iraqi Jewish Christian. I was cheated out of growing up with sibling camaraderie and arguments, but I do have dear friends that have become my family. My spouse and I are truly blessed.
Choose Carefully
When I was adopted, my birth name was changed. This angered me; a name at birth should remain through a lifetime. Hopefully parents will take this into account before choosing overly unusual names. Names are special, and should be treated with reverence. When we adopted our most recent lovable Puggle, we kept her beautiful name Sasha. In Hebrew it means defender of mankind. I will admit we changed our younger cat’s name from Nala to Brioche when we brought her home, to go with our older kitty’s name Latte. Now Nala is now her middle cat name. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.
