My Name '24

My name is Kathleen which means “pure” and “clear”. I believe that may be how most see me as I keep my face up out of my muck in public- a lotus trying to reach the sun.

My true name, Kate, sounds like a firm and reassuring handshake, and my full name, Kate Burke, sounds like two belts of laughter as one is caught off guard by an unexpected joy.

My name comes from my brother as my parents were not expecting to need a female name- a girl after four boys. My gender was a surprise.

My oldest brother named me Kate and my mom protected it, making it formally Kathleen instead of Katharine, to be sure I wasn’t named after her mother in law who always made sure my mom knew that she didn’t like her son’s choice of a bride.

My name comes from Ireland and I have been there twice. Once with my Burke family- with brothers and laughs and walks with my Da in soft air. Another time I went with my Laird family the Summer just after my Da died, and my memories from that are of tight child squeezes, blustery hills that called my name and solidified I was Viking, Celt, and a romantic.

My Da used to make my name both very short and very long and just thinking about that makes me miss his voice and his easy love for me so I am going to stop thinking.

My original name is legally returning to me soon. I lost it for quite a bit, though could feel it knocking about in there. I’m using it illegally now because I have always been a little bit rebellious. It comes from the copper wires of my hair, now turning gray.