Do you like your name? Does it make you happy or sad? I believe that your name is a big part of your life, even if you may think it's “too common” or “not that important”. Your name is something that will stick with you forever. You could say that in a way it describes you, but it’s actually you that has the power to give it meaning. I'm taking you on a journey to show you how I learned to love my name and how you can fall in love with your own.
Hello, my name is Shannon; it is derived from Ireland’s longest and most abundant river, and it originally means “old and wise” or “wise river”. I quite love the meaning because I can relate to it pretty well. I think of myself as an old wise woman stuck in a body of a 20-year-old. I like hobbies like sewing, coffee cups on a rainy day, my alone time, brunches, and cooking. I also identify with the river meaning since a river never ceases to flow even when there are obstacles blocking its path. It's actually quite funny how I was given my name, my dad is a Bruce Lee fan and he used to watch many of his movies, so he decided to name me after his daughter: Shannon Lee. Also, because he found the name quite unique. Some days my name tastes sweet but other days it is just sad, sometimes bittersweet, sometimes sour. It depends on who said it and how they say it. We all have a history with our names, whether it’s a good one or a bad one is another story. Many times, the relationship that we have with our name must do a lot with how people have interpreted and treated it when we were younger or growing up. But, my advice to you is to never give anybody else the power to define your name.
I want to culminate this journey of my name in hopes that you can write your own journey and one day be able to tell people about it, like I am doing today. The beauty of it all is that you are given a name, so it can describe you, but actually, it is you my fellow reader who truly gives your name meaning to the point that when somebody mentions your name, whether you are present or not, it would make people's hearts flourish and put their spirits at ease.
