my name

If I told you my name you wouldn’t be surprised. It’s a name you would commonly hear. It’s short for Elizabeth and as old as the Elizabeth of the 1600’s. It has the solid meaning of devoted to god or liberator depending on the language it is brought into.
My proud cousin of 43 was born into the name of Elizabeth for whom I can blame for my shortened name. You see my family is devoted to god, their god says no two living members of the same family can have the identical name. I guess devotion means individuality.
You could say it’s appropriate my cousin has become the most religious of all her sisters. And I’m one of the least religious of the family. But I’m still growing they say, its only a phase.
My mother couldn’t have found a better name even with the circumstances. Her back wouldn’t allow her to have a natural blessing so instead she searched for a blessing. She looked far and near, finally a women with a back of a dancer was happy to give me to another woman, my mother who would then name me a liberator. I like to think I liberated both women from some grave loneliness.
Although it’s short and ordinary my mother, my best friend has always been able to find new ways to say it and personalize it. I meet people whose names mirror mine all the time but I know in my heart none can tell a story such as mine. I’m a teenager in every sense of the word. I disagree just to disagree. Arguments will rise and doors will slam but after every crash of a door comes a warm hug just before the lights go out. Good night Lisa.