That's Not My Name

So, my name is Goldie, believe it or not. Before you ask, yes, it is my real name. It is the name that is on my birth certificate, it is the name that my parents gave me. I was named after my great grandmother.

Now, I like my name. However, there are very few people with the same name. I have never met anyone with the same name as me, except on the phone. So, whenever I introduce myself to new people, there is always some sort of reaction to my name. I've heard just about everything, but there are five things I hear the most often.

Here are the top 5 things that people say when they learn my name.

1. "Is that your real name?"
I've already mentioned this, but it's the thing that the most people say, so it's worth mentioning again. I just sigh whenever someone asks me this now. I've actually started introducing myself like I did in the beginning of this blog.

2. "Oh, like Goldie Hawn?"
Yes, like Goldie Hawn. No, I was not named after her. I just recently got asked this by a guy who was my age. Normally it's older adults that ask me this, but when this 20 year old guy asked me, I was bit surprised.

3. "What?"
Either they didn't hear me or they think they heard wrong when I get this response. And I have to wonder, what do they think is my name? Cody? Colby? Those are the two names that I mistake myself when they're shouted out in a crowd. They sound a lot like Goldie and it's kind of disappointing when you think someone is calling you and it turns out they're shouting for someone else.

4. "Goldielocks!"
This is the one I hate. All the others are fine, but I really don't like being called Goldilocks. I'm not sure why, but it's always made me really annoyed. I actually shoved a kid in 5th grade because we wouldn't stop calling me it. When you first meet me, I give you one chance to call me that. After that, it's your funeral.

5, "But you don't have gold/blonde hair!"
No, really?! Are you sure? This normally follows after being called Goldielocks. I've had dark brown all my life, I'm quite aware that I am not a blonde, thank you for the observation. And the part that makes me laugh the most about this is that quite often they think they are the first people to point that out.

People also quite often tell me that it's a cool and unique name and I like that. Even if it's after one of the five things that I wrote about. I love my name and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

So, until the next time I write a blog, goodbye and have a great week!

Individuality

People are different. That much is pretty obvious.

There seems to be this deep desire within us to be different from everyone else. We all like to think we're special. Don't get me wrong, we are all special, we're all different, but sometimes I look around and I'm confused.

See, while we have this need to be an individual and stand out, there is also this strong need to fit in. And that goes against the impulse to be different.

I see so much damage being done because of these two needs. There are the people whose need to conform is stronger and there are the people whose need to feel different leads them to rebel against everything.

I've mentioned before how I wasn't a "popular" kid. My need for individuality and my lack of ability to be fake made sure of that. I used to be sad that I wasn't in the "cool crowd". They always looked like they had so much fun. Now,  I'm so thankful that I wasn't. Now I am drawn to people who don't fake it, who try to be themselves as much as society tells them not to be.

I am not talking about the kids who try to rebel against everything by dressing scene or goth. If you like that style, go for it. But if you're doing it because you want to appear "edgy". Stop. Please. Just be yourself. There is nothing better that you could be.

God made each of us for a specific purpose. I believe that. And I don't believe that we will find any real purpose in life unless we trust God to lead us down the road He knows is best.

I love this de-motivational poster. I am a very sarcastic person and as much as this poster is supposed to be sarcastic and ironic, it's true. You are unique, and so is everyone else. Can you imagine if we weren't? How boring would this world be? 

What if every star was the same? What if they all were the same distance from the earth and each shined the same? The sky would look so uniform and it would lose most of its beauty. You were made to shine in the way only you can. Please don't try to copy anyone else's light. This world would be so much darker without you.