With Swartzy Jr. now coming much sooner than expected, the pressure is on to choose a name for him.
I thought that this would be the easy part. It’s been the hardest. Go figure.
Over time I’ve learned to embrace my own name. If anything it is unique.
Swartzy Cocpa to my closest friends. Yes, that includes you.
When my dad was growing up, there was a hardware store around the corner from the family home called Swartz Hardware. He and my grandpa spent a lot of time in that store gathering tools and supplies for home do-it-yourself projects. They spent much more time working together on those projects.
My dad has always been fond of those memories and times working with his father. To always remind him of those memories and times, he named me after a family-owned hardware store that has been out of business for years.
I don’t hold it against him. I now love the name because of the meaning. It’s me.
In case you were wondering about my last name, Cocpa isn’t really my last name. It’s a shortened version of a long Italian surname. Hey, I can’t reveal everything here. I don’t want my identity stolen!
Unfortunately, Mrs. Swartzy isn’t particularly fond of the name Swartz Jr. or Swartzy Jr. I’ll never convince her that it’s the best name ever.
So, we’ve been fighting over a name for the past eight months with no end in sight. Swartzy Jr. wil only have a name because it is required by law.
Sorry to say, but the problem is with Mrs. Swartzy.
First, she is indecisive. Very indecisive. She had an epic internal battle just naming her dogs. She frets over what we’re going to have for dinner each night. Burger or chicken? That’s a big decision.
Second, she cares too much about what others think. Others’ opinions matter more than her own.
Third, she has the wrong people in her ear all the time. You guessed it, the in-laws. They have an opinion about every name we like. They are a barrier to progress. They make life difficult.
Me, I don’t know if I’m a decisive person per say. However, I tend to be easy going and agreeable for the most part. I don’t stress myself out over big decisions.
Sure, there have been many names Mrs. Swartzy has suggested that I have been totally against. But I’m also open to compromise and different possibilities. It frustrates me when she doesn’t even consider names that I like.
This, plus the in-laws influence, has caused me to become combative at times. That’s against my nature.
Still, I’ve remained open to suggestions. There was a name I was totally against at the beginning and remained against for most of the past several months. But I’ve come around to it because it is Mrs. Swartzy’s favorite and it means something to her. There’s inspiration behind it. It’s more than just a name.
When choosing a name, that’s what should matter most. It should have meaning. It could be honoring a member of the family tree, or remembering a special friend, or harking back to memories that were special in our lives.
Like Swartz Hardware with my dad and his dad.
It shouldn’t matter what anybody else thinks, as long as the name means something to you.