Changing My Name
I've struggled with my dead name for years. Una Meredith Morera. It is a strange combination of my father's name, which means MULBERRY, and my first name, which is not meant to be Spanish (because it’s Gaelic) but together with MULBERRY becomes Spanish and translates to A MULBERRY. A ridiculous name!
My first name has never been a name I could relate to. I mention in my podcast all the reasons why I disassociate from it.
I no longer want to do things that I don't want to do. Carrying around my dead name is one of those things.
Nina.
Bird.
Lawrence.
NINA could refer to Hirschfield and finding the Nina's.
It could refer to Nina Simone (who also changed her name and whose picture hangs over my desk).
It could refer to my Jewish heritage.
It could also be simply what it is, a nice name, with lots of nickname possibilities.
Some good friends call me BIRD. I've always loved it. So, why not take it?
LAWRENCE is from laurel, also known as bay leaves, from the laurel tree, which according to my friend, Rose, “smell so hot and spicy when the sun is shining.”
My favorite character of all time is Odysseus. I imagine he wore a crown of laurel leaves when he finally returned home, which was his trial all along, to get back home.
It could be a nod to, Sir Lawrence of Arabia, T.E. Lawrence.
Finally, I’m swinging from one tree to the the other, from the mulberry to the laurel tree.
Bird.
Lawrence.
NINA could refer to Hirschfield and finding the Nina's.
It could refer to Nina Simone (who also changed her name and whose picture hangs over my desk).
It could refer to my Jewish heritage.
It could also be simply what it is, a nice name, with lots of nickname possibilities.
Some good friends call me BIRD. I've always loved it. So, why not take it?
LAWRENCE is from laurel, also known as bay leaves, from the laurel tree, which according to my friend, Rose, “smell so hot and spicy when the sun is shining.”
My favorite character of all time is Odysseus. I imagine he wore a crown of laurel leaves when he finally returned home, which was his trial all along, to get back home.
It could be a nod to, Sir Lawrence of Arabia, T.E. Lawrence.
Finally, I’m swinging from one tree to the the other, from the mulberry to the laurel tree.
Letting Go, Starting Over
It's taken me so many years to get here. To this point. Where I feel strong enough to do this. So much courage to change the name. So much sadness to let go of something that has been a part of me, but can no longer move forward with me, to wherever I'm going.
Wherever that is, I hope you will join me there, in the fields, in the pastures of holiness and sacredness and triumph and peace and relaxation and self-reliance.
It's taken me so many years to get here. To this point. Where I feel strong enough to do this. So much courage to change the name. So much sadness to let go of something that has been a part of me, but can no longer move forward with me, to wherever I'm going.
Wherever that is, I hope you will join me there, in the fields, in the pastures of holiness and sacredness and triumph and peace and relaxation and self-reliance.