Not many people know the history behind my 17-year-old son’s
name.
I thought I would share it today.
In 2001, I was pregnant with my second child. Each time my husband and I never chose to find out the sex of our children.
Up until that point, our names from when we were pregnant
with our first child just weren’t working for us anymore, so we went back to
the drawing board. We had happily come up with agreeable girl names but were continually challenged by boy’s name.
Several days after that fateful day of 9/11, I went into the
hospital to have a scheduled cesarean section.
Not shocked, once again our boy names fell by the wayside as we delivered
another girl.
Until May of 2004, while planning for a girl again (I mean
the odds were there lol) we were surprised shocked to have a boy!
We quickly went back to the last selection of names for boys from the last time
we were expecting and of course that didn't work...there was just one we agreed on.
(We separated in 2005 when our son was just ten months old and really didn’t speak much...yes, I
know that’s a shame but I can’t control others).
On May 2, 2011, I was shocked to get a text from my ex-husband who never reached out to me for anything. It was about the time (literally) when it went public that Osama Bin Laden was killed by the United States. Our conversation went something like this:
Him: “Do you remember why we named Justice?”
Me: “F@%* YES!
In our book, it was a victory.
We were already strong proponents of supporting our nation,
fighting back, and wanting justice for wrongdoing. But that day, it was more. A
couple that didn’t see eye to eye on much, there was, for a moment in time unity and a nod of a job
well done, and a point well made.
My son never learned the reason for his name. Not at first.
It wasn’t until his third-grade teacher sent her class home with an assignment
to explain why they were given their names.
My son came to me and asked, and I told him. He was not at all bothered,
but quite excited actually, to share the story with classmates and his teacher.
I’d actually say that he was in awe. So was his teacher. She told him that was “really cool”.
I’m still in love with his name and the reason for it. And
just in case you’re wondering…he is a sweet, non-violent kid, who wants to make
people happy with every fiber of his being, loves helping others, and wants to
be a welder.
The other baby that I was pregnant with September 11th
and born days later? She is now in the military and prepares daily to fight for
our country. A tiny thing, she is the mightiest of us all in the family and the
most amazing shot with a gun…
Standing here today, I could never have seen that coming.
She was going to be a vet (veterinarian)…that wordplay right there is
something I never even related to before this moment.
Please salute our American soldiers. Please be kind to
others. Please celebrate our freedom and thank any first responder you see, forever
and ever. Amen.