Living up to the name

A wooly mammoth (not near you)

People started using names as a way of differentiating one caveperson from another, and of getting the attention of someone who was about to be eaten by a wooly mammoth, as in, "Hey Og!  Watch out!  There's a wooly mammoth right behind you!"

As the population grew, there were far too many people named Og, so they started giving themselves last names.  Often, these surnames had to do with a person's occupation, so people who cut wood were named "Sawyer," people who brought home nets full of cod and herring were called "Fisher," and people who were absolutely useless to society were "Limbaughs."

Other names came from other sources:  John's son became "Johnson."  People who showed up with grass stain on their khaki pants were named "Green," and those who lived out there where the trees grew tall got the last name "Woods" or "Forrest."  Those capable of lifting great weights or riding bicycles for days on end saluted their sinew by being called "Armstrong," although one of them had to relinquish the name when it turned out he was untruthful about how many little chemical helpers he had taken, and was forced to call himself "Og Bad."

I think that delightful people should have names that reflect that quality, and no one we know is a better example of that than our friend Blyss, whom we are looking forward to seeing soon.  She moved away and is currently performing two of the toughest jobs there could be:  Army wife and Mom.  We love Blyss because her personality is expressed in her name.  Even as a teenager, she had wisdom and wit far beyond her years.  Blyss always has a laugh and a smile to give away, and she lives with a zest and zeal that are just so admirable!

She pointed out that everyone needed to look into a full-length mirror every now and again, and if they were wearing something that made them look bad - such as a crop top and skinny jeans on someone whose girth spilled over their belt - they should make appropriate changes.

And it was Blyss who first expressed to me a saying that I hear in my mind all the time: "Some people...if they don't have drama in their lives, they create it, just to have some."  

Blyss, I promise not to wear my skinny jeans or crop top when we see you, and the only drama will be in seeing who can stop laughing first about some of our good old times!