It has been almost two years
since I have married my love, Malcolm,
and still, I have not changed my last name.
I have many reasons for this decision,
the first reason being that I love my birth-given last name!!
It’s Who I Am.
It’s Who I am From.
It’s also easily understandable on the phone, on paper, and in person.
I have never had to repeat my last name or spell it out
and I love that.
Secondly, I buck almost everything society tells me I have to do
or that I am expected to do, with no valid reason why.
When I first informed Malcolm that I won’t be changing my last name,
at first, I think he was astonished, because really,
who keeps their maiden name nowadays!?
Almost no one I know.
Perhaps many people don’t think of it as a choice,
rather, just one of the many steps you take when you get married.
Tradition.
People ask, “what are you going to do when you have children
and they have a different last name?
People will think you are divorced, a single mother, or a step mother….”
Ahhhhh really?
That’s deeply offensive to all the hard-working single parents in the world.
I would know the truth and my children would know the truth
and that is the only thing that matters.
Changing my last name just to avoid that confusion
is a groundless reason for such an important decision.
I have never been the type of person to care what people think about myself or my life.
I would rather beat on my own drum, completely alone,
rather than bend to other’s standards and expectations.
I bask in knowing the Truth of my Soul and my Self,
no matter what judgements or assumptions are thrown at me.
The words written on this page are simply my feelings in this moment…
My feelings may change in the future, or they may not,
I’m not sure.
They are not intended to offend or judge another’s choices on this matter.
This is simply a reflection of my decisions concerning
my last name : )
