Aaron and I have been in Tahlequah for a rural externship, and have been blessed to be able to spend some great quality time with my family as a result. One of our conversation topics last night stuck out from the rest. Though I'm not sure how it originated, we began talking about passing down family names. For example, my father and two of his three brothers bear some portion of my grandmother's father's full name: James (my dad), Clayton (my uncle Doug), and Reddell. It was a way in which my grandmother could pay tribute to her father's memory and express her love for the figure she holds so dear.
My father, out of the blue, stated that in hindsight he wishes he would have tried for another child in hopes of having a boy. The reason? The Nolan name - its meaning and legacy - will not be continued through my sister and I. Instead, it ends with him...although he's still trying to convince my sister to hyphenate her name when she marries since he lost that battle with me. :)
My mom told me afterward that it's the first time she's heard my dad express that thought, and that the older he gets, the more sentimental he becomes. I'm so glad he's sharing these thoughts with my sister, husband and I, because we get a glimpse of the perspective and wisdom that comes with age before we reach those milestones.
Aaron and I, in the many discussions we've had about our future children, have always wanted a boy and a girl. Although I'll be ecstatic with whatever God chooses to bless us with (in 7 plus years), I see the value of having a boy to carry on the name of my husband - for the Relic line ends with him if not.
Keep those thoughts coming, Dad. Otherwise, I wouldn't have realized the importance of a name for another 25 years. I'm proud to now be a Relic. Just know, Dad, that I'll always be a Nolan, and what that name stands for, at heart.
"A good name is to be more desired than great wealth..." Proverbs 21:25
No comments:
Post a Comment