Twist and Turn

What's in a name? Does it reflect who we are? Were we fated to receive the perfect calling card? Or is it just the whim of our parents that decides what we will always be known as to our closest confidants?

Let's see if an example helps. My name is Will. Now will is quite obviously both a name and a word. One could even call it a state of mind. The will to act, live, think, write, create. The will to resist temptation and stave off the darkness. The will to be the light of those in need. The will to open the eyes of the world. All things I'd like to live up to, but one could hardly say that it describes me, right?

But let's take another angle.

See Will is obviously not my full name; it's short for William. My first and middle names were both derived from a pair of special men, but that's another story for another time. A few years ago, I had an English project where we had to research our names and figure out its origin. William is derived from the old British name Wilhelm. Wilhelm was in turn derived from two words that were strung together to describe the first owner of the name. Understand where I'm going? Those two words were will and helm, or the will to helm, which obviously comes out as roughly meaning guardian or protector. So in essence, I am the protector right? Does that describe me?

I don't know, but I do think that even if it isn't a perfect fit, our names always reflect something about us. Just a bit of rambling thoughts here.