FWF Write Friday, Writing Raw With Author Rebecca Tsaros Dickson

Say My Name. Haven’t I heard others say my name for years now? Do I really go around saying my own name? Yes, sometimes I have done this in the past. My name, I said it aloud when I started my first year of school.

Teacher,”Please state your name.” Me,” My name is Teresa, but everyone uses my daddy’s nickname, Terry.” I repeated that process all the way through school, as we were forced to stand up and say our name and something interesting about ourselves.

What was interesting about me? I can remember standing there with my finger in my mouth, twisting back and forth as I could not think of something interesting about myself, finally saying that I loved to play with dolls and ride my bike.

I remember stating my name to the receptionist, when I was applying for my very first driver’s permit. At this point, I said it nice and loud and clear. I was almost an adult, and I was going to become a part of the rat race out on the highways, except for one minor change. My mother was going to be sitting in the front seat on the passenger’s side, screaming, watch that car!!

I remember another proud moment I was able to say my name. When I got married. In front of many guests, and the minister, I said my love vows to my husband-to-be. What a loving moment in my life, to hear myself whisper my name to the minister. Too bad the beautiful moment did not last into the twilight zone!

There was another time, that with much shyness, I barely whispered my name. I heard the words being spoken, please state your full name. I was being looked over and checked inside and out, to see if I qualified for a juror in an upcoming trial. To my delight, I failed their eyes. I did not want to stay over night in a motel, in case the case was not finished by the end of the day. I had a new baby at home, for Pete’s sake! Plus, you could not speak to any other human forms,and had to mumble your words to your own self. I have always been a chatter box, and asking me to be quiet for a 24 hour period was a working miracle not in progress.

Another time I remember standing in front of a judge, was when I was asking his permission to be divorced from the crappy guy I had once loved. What a fool I had been, and I had walked into that relationship, with only half-opened eyes. The judge asked me my name, and I said it proudly, letting him know that I was confident, strong, and that this man had not ruined my emotional well-being.

I heard my name announced from my lips as I was stating that I am truly Terry, and I will be accepting the position of guardianship over my brother, and the last time I said my name was yesterday, when I announced to the nurse at the nursing facility, who I was in relationship to Al.

I guess when you look back, if you are saying your own name aloud, it is for a very important reason. You are either confirming who you are, or introducing yourself, or maybe you just enjoy hearing yourself say your own name! By the way, my name in Spanish means,Teresa is the Spanish and Italian form of the name Theresa. In the English-speaking world, Teresa is often chosen by Roman Catholic parents as a reference to the Spanish saint, Teresa of Avla.