Mindy Reflection #56

What’s in a name? Before you meet me, my name is your only clue to who I might be. I was named Minna when I was born, but then my parents decided it was an old lady name so they immediately changed it to Mindy, an eternally childlike name. When you hear Mindy will be joining us for dinner, you might think you need a booster seat. A woman once rushed over to me to tell me she had a beloved poodle named Mindy. I’m not sure why she thought that would please me? At the time, I felt a bit put off, and also worried that my curly hair might be a bit too poufy. If you ever see me putting a bow on top of my head, please kill me. In my mid-twenties I was put in a locked detox ward closed to all visitors. My mother was concerned and wanted to see me. She went to the lobby and said she was looking for her daughter Mindy. Of course they directed her to the children’s ward. Funnily enough it was adjacent to mine, and my mother just strolled through the locked doors. So, I walk in the world with a name that never ages, although I certainly have. My name is nonthreatening; it doesn’t scare or concern you. There is almost zero expectation attached to it because the Mindy bar seems to be set very low. At times I tried to hide behind my middle name which is Caron, but that wasn’t much help as it’s a confusing name that no one knows how to pronounce. Eventually, I accepted my name and started to enjoy the surprise element it afforded me. I was named for my great grandmother, and even though I never knew her, it’s possible that some of her spirit is embedded in the name we share. My Hebrew name, which was also hers, means “eternal rest”. I find it amusing that “death” would be another aspect of my name, as I’ve always been drawn to the other side. This life is my only chance to be a Mindy. I can’t imagine that in future incarnations you would wind up picking the same name over and over again. I think our names help us to become who we were meant to be. Even with all its inherent misrepresentations, I have embraced the vibration and the magic hidden within my name. Today, when I hear your name, or the labels that have been thrust upon you, I will try to not let it color my perceptions of all that you are, the energy that you carry, and the significance of your contribution to this incredible life adventure.