The name is usually the first piece of information we receive about someone. Our names can say a lot about who we are. Names can inform others about one’s racial and ethnic heritage and they can also inform the wearer of that moniker about a lineage that shaped them.
I always dreaded the first day of class during my elementary school years. This discontent stemmed from the fact that my first name is Hope. Children are masters of teasing and you can’t imagine the teasing and ridicule I experienced…I hope it doesn’t rain, I hope we have recess…you get it! I wished for a name that would blend in with all the other children so that I wouldn’t stand out.
Today, I can say that I love my name! Not only because my beloved mother bestowed it on me at birth, but because it also speaks to my disposition. Hope is an expectation and desire for something good to happen. Hope is optimism. My name is Hope Fuller and I am full of hope.
