Growing up, I never really liked my name. It sounds silly, right? Let me take this story back, way back. From the age of about 3 - 5 years of age, I was known as Zabrina. My family in the Phillipines, my cousins I think still refer to me as Zabrina. Regardless; when it was time for me to start going to school; in Kindergarten - I remember my father asking me:
“Well, my girl, what name would you like to use to go to school?”
5 year old me, having been born in April, and about to go into the education system for the first time pondered the question. I very quickly came to a decision:
“Rachel.”
And my reasoning was quite simple. It was an opportunity to have a new name, since everyone called me Zabrina. I just loved the novelty of what a new name would offer to me, even at 5 years old, I recognized the matrix and the education system for the game that it would become.
The reason my dad wanted for me to be sure about this, was my Aunty had a similar “predicament” where she was born with a certain first name and second name; and when she entered school; her records were a mess because her friends would refer to her first name and/or second name. He wanted to be sure that all my school records were in the proper order.
The first day of Kindergarten, a beautiful girl asked me what my name was. I said “Rachel.” And she said; “Oh my gosh, my name is Racheael too - do you want to be best friends?”
I nodded, mutely accepting what ended up being a lifelong friendship.
Names have a way of providing a type of destiny to us. After all, we have had no real “choice” in our names. Our names may represent the dreams of what our parents have for us. We may choose to gift our selves with a name, a truer name that represents who you are on a deeper level.
I went down a little rabbit hold regarding numerology and names. After all, when someone says your name - there is a frequency involved. It is why when I read comic books out loud - learning how to articulate each syllable in the way it is meant to in the context of the greater story; has continued to be such a fun way to interface with art again :)
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