Losing My Identity

I never thought that this day would come. My name has changed. Outside of work, I am no longer known by my first name. You, like so many people I now come in contact with, can call me – Molly's Dad, Shannon's Husband, and, the latest addition, Jillian's Dad.

This has been going on for at least three years – ever since my oldest started Preschool – so it should come as no surprise. It was within the last week, though, that really it hit me as to what was happening. I mentioned in an earlier post that I had attended a CPR class that was offered at my daughter's Preschool. This is the same Preschool that my oldest attended when she was four. So I know the two teachers who teach the four year olds. The one teacher and I share a mutual friend so she knows my real name and gets it right. The other teacher only knows me as Molly's Dad. Did I mention that my three year old is now attending this Preschool? I met the her two teachers. Yeah, well, now I am known as Jillian's Dad too.

It only gets better from there. I was at meeting for my church on Monday night and this woman walks up to me and says: “You're Shannon's Husband aren't you?” I was taken aback. I confirmed her suspicion; but I wasn't sure if I should also admit that my name was Molly's Dad and Jillian's Dad. I did not want to mislead her in any way. I am not sure what I will do when I become Coilin's Dad.

I may have to have all of these names tattooed on my hand so that I can remember them. But, then I start to think about it, and as the sweat begins to form on my brow, I realize that I am somebody's brother, somebody's son, somebody's son-in-law, and somebody's something. I am going to have to move the list from my hand to my forearm.

Maybe I will just wear a “Hello My Name is” tag around. Perhaps that will help reintroduce to the world the name that my mother gave to me. It is a nice name after all, and I know the she and my father worked very hard to come up with it. Alas, it is a name with two spellings, and many, many people (even some members of my own family) misspell it. I guess I am destined to be called whatever the people of the world want to call me. Of course, I am very careful not to ask certain people what they would like to call me...