I have this strange tendency to ignore a person's name when meeting them for the first time. Which is hypocritical considering I get so offended when someone gets mine wrong or doesn't even make an effort.
It's my name. The only thing that can never be taken away from me. My name tells a story. Of the bloodshed, the tears, the pain, the endurance, determination, grit, love. There's so much history behind a name.
And yet I pay no mind to other's. Who am I to deem a name irrelevant? I think I do this because most people I meet are just briefly crossing my path. As if I have a clue if we'll see each other again or not.
Even during school on the first day when the teacher made us play the name game. Everyone goes around and says their name and you have to remember. You'd think I would remember names if I just played a memory game with the class. Nope. It's as though my subconscious blocks any memories of their names and I go the whole semester never really getting to know anyone.
I think that's what it comes down to. I prefer not to get to know most people. Not because I don't care, I do. But because what's the point? We'll eventually move on to other paths. We can follow each other on social media, like each other's posts. But that's superficial. There's no real connection. And what a waste that is. But if I remember a name and make a solid connection then we may become friends, or coworkers, or lovers. Then what happens if that connection is broken? We just lost a little piece of ourselves.
We place so much power into a name. It's ironic. We say words can't hurt us. And a name is just a word. So it's ironic that remembering a name can ultimately change one's path.
