157 Push and Pull (What’s in a name)
The Push and Pull of all this debate between them all about their own identity, where they came from to find Hearts missing piece, was exhausting and there were moments when they forgot their promise to Big voice, to forgive the past and the people from it, and to move forward to a better life. To not look back either in anger, curiosity or despair.
They reprimanded themselves, but it was a difficult task after 66 years of living on this planet. They weren’t even sure Hearts missing ‘piece’ was correct. How do you measure a feeling especially about oneself? All five of them were struggling yet Heart was adamant a piece was missing and it would appear to have been missing most of their life as far as one could ascertain.
Where do you start?
“That’s easy” the Little Red Haired Girl answered “you start when you go to school.”
“You start the moment you are born child” called Spirit.
“Before that” sighed Soul, which to a certain extent they all ignored. They knew there was no answer to that idea or concept.
“Technically one’s life starts when your birth is registered. Parents names and occupation is noted and the date one is born as well as where” Brain informed.
“What’s registered?” the child asked.
“It’s when the town council, parish or otherwise know you exist. They produce a record of it” Brain tried to simplify it for her.
“Like the school list when they call out your name in the morning?”
“Similar yes” cried Heart “So teacher knows you are there when you should be and are safe.”
“How do they know your name?” the child asked.
“Your parents let the school know. It’s a way of making sure you go to school and that they know where you are.”
“Who choses your Name?”
“Your parents do when you are born” Heart cried.
“How? How do they chose?”
“Some people look for a name in books. Some people chose the name based on a favourite past family member. Some people are open to suggestions from others. Some people want to decide on a name when they first meet the child as a baby” stated Brain.
“Because of how they feel when they meet their new baby” cried Heart. “It’s a wonderful feeling.”
“Once they’ve gone through the pain” Body chipped in.
“The name may come intuitively once the eyes see the baby” Spirit called “as it did with Body’s own child, remember the pretty baby you saw in the photograph.”
Heart turned and caused pain in Body’s chest. The child picked up on this and did not ask the obvious question she knew would hurt Heart and Body more.
“Some people chose a child’s name based on its meaning” Brain continued obliviously “for example Elizabeth means ‘God is my oath’ or Peter that means ‘Rock’. It depends on the language the name is derived from.”
The child watched the pain in Body as Heart turned, and no one acknowledged what Brain had been spouting through Bodys lips. There was a silence.
“Was it something I said?” Brain asked.
“No” called Spirit “it was informative thank you Brain but you are missing the hurt in Body as Heart turns in Body’s chest at the mention of her own child.”
“I’m sorry” conceded Brain “but I thought we were discussing how a baby, a child is named?”
“We were” sighed Soul.
“Sometimes teacher gets the name wrong on the list you know, when she calls it out every morning and it has to be changed at the office or it is forever wrong every day” the Little Red Haired Girl announced. “Miss said it was a wipo.”
“A Wipo?” Cried Heart. “What is a wipo?”
“A typo I thinks she means” suggested Brain.
“Sometimes Miss says a name is missing altogether specially at start of school with the little ones.”
Spirit laughed as the child was hardly grown herself.
“And sometimes a name is called and no one answers. Miss says it’s because they are ill or gone to another school and that it’s a shame the office got it wrong again.” The child rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips in imitation of Miss which made them all laugh.
“The office overworked and underpaid?” Brain suggested. “Someone needs to check their work and make sure it’s correct. Especially in an organisation that deals with the safety of children.”
“They can only direct their path in accordance with what the parents inform them of” sighed Soul. “Maybe the parents have several schools to chose from for their children and forget to tell the school which they have decided upon or against.”
“Well their work in the office needs to be checked” Brain resubmitted “then mistakes would not be made.”
“And who checks the parents?” Spirit called. “Who can tell if the parents are accurate about the name or placement?”
“A good question I hadn’t thought of” admitted Brain. “I know in a hospital birth, ID bracelets are placed on the baby immediately and I suspect double checked by hospital staff. There is bound to be a specific order of compliance regarding that.”
“I agree” sighed Soul. “A correct procedural route that is checked and double checked by a reliable doctor or senior member of staff.”
“What if the baby is born at home?” called Spirit. “Who checks and confirms its identity then?”
“Another good question. My only thought would be it relies on the good conduct of the person delivering the baby to confirm this like the midwife, but even that is not foolproof. The mother may appear to have the appropriate husband or partner. The professional can only go on what they have been told. Sometimes the baby may be offered for adoption if personal circumstances are difficult for the parents or parent. The only true way of knowing the babys identity is through DNA testing.”
“So there are three layers of trust involved in confirming the babys identity” called Spirit. “The registry office, the hospital or home birth professional, and the parents.”
“Four” sighed Soul. “The fourth is between the parents or not.”
“If there were any doubt, a paternity DNA test would be done surely?” cried Heart.
“Nowadays for sure, if hearts can cope with the disloyalty of the question and expence of the proceedure” Brain assumed “but back in 1959 (if our date of birth is correct) probably not as readily available.”
“This is where I feel a piece is missing” cried Heart “I don’t feel we are are who they say we are.”
Heart was blunt and sharp at the same time.
“A bold calling” called Spirit “but you deserve to call it as you feel it.”
“Come on now, we start with our name and apart from and including marital status, we finish with it.” Brain stated the obvious.
“It doesn’t feel like my name” cried Heart.
“Well that doesn’t mean that it isn’t” Brain argued.
“True” stated Body. “When is a name not your name?”
“When the list is wrong” the child piped up. “As Miss said, they get it wrong.”
“The office may get it wrong sometimes. Mistakes can happen.” Body stated.
“Especially if their work is not being checked” agreed Brain.
“Or the professional people are not of a good light and conduct” called Spirit.
“Or the parents path is one of disguise” sighed Soul. “God knows the whole picture, the heavens see it all even if it’s 66 years later before the truth comes out. The truth will prevail eventually.”
“In the meantime” Brain cut Soul short “Where do we start our family research ? If we cannot believe in our own name?”
“We don’t” Spirit called “we leave it to our holy ancestors to reveal it.”
“We leave it with our higher self” replied Body “and rise above our doubts even if the questions we have asked of our family fall on deaf ears.”
“It’s more than a feeling” cried Heart “it’s a knowing.”
“It’s mine” the child stated.
“What is child?” cried Heart.
“It’s my name and I want it back.”
“What is meant for you child is yours. No one will take it from you.” Big voice finished the debate.
© 2025 Jennifer Harris. Free And Alive 555
