Monday, April 26, 2010

what's in a name?

What's in a name you ask?


Well, apparently not much...in MINE anyway. I was at my daughter's soccer game this weekend, watching her chase down that elusive soccer ball. A mom sitting next to me leaned over and asked if I knew "so and so". I smiled politely and said, I didn't think so. She then proceeded to introduce us. "This is so and so and this is Dorien..."



The blank stares said it all...we had NO CLUE who the other was.



Until...I shook my head knowingly and said, "I am OLIVIA'S mom!" The light bulb went on. She got a broad smile on her face and spewed for 5 minutes about how cute Miss O is, and how Olivia was so sweet every time she helped out in class, etc. etc. I still blush to think how great it was to be "Olivia's mom" on Saturday.



Who knew it was so great to be someones mom? Certainly being "just Dorien" does not normally elicit such a grand response from people now does it?



I had found my identity as "Olivia's mom".



Some days I am easily recognized as "Josh's mom", other days I answer to the name of "Grace's mom" and on other days still, I smile when I am called "Eliza's mom".


Who knew that for the length of my children's childhoods I would no longer be just Dorien?


Secretly, and not so secretly, I am OK with that. Seriously, there is NO GREATER JOY than answering to the name of "Olivia's mom", "Eliza's mom", "Grace's mom" or "Josh's mom".


I am thrilled with my new name.


Some day I will go back to being "just plain Dorien", but until then, I can live with being "someones mother".

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