Last week I attended a Writing Workshop hosted Rachael Peckham, a creative writing professor from Marshall University. She prompted us to work on a braided creative nonfiction essay involving our names. Her workshop inspired me and this is the result.
What's in a Name?
I am not a Jordan
My parents thought I was boy as I lay curled unclassified
inside my mother’s womb. They were going
to name me Jordan. Jordan is a fine
name, for both boys and girls. But it’s
not me. When I think of girls I know who
are named Jordan I think of tomboys blowing bubble gum, wearing wearing their
baseball caps backwards and grass stains on their knees. Considering that I insisted on being a
ballerina for three Halloweens in a row, and was never been able to master the
art of blowing bubble gum, I think it’s safe to say that I am no Jordan. I am a Heather.
Rustic Beauties
The name Heather stems
from a wild looking evergreen shrub native to western European countries such
as Ireland, Scotland, and Scandenavia.
In the late summer they burst with tiny flowers in reddish hues and sometimes
white. With my limited expertise in shrubbery and flowers I would describe them
as something of a mixture between goldenrods and sagebrush. I’ve seen several photographs of gorgeous,
untamed landscapes covered in heather, but I’ve never actually seen these
flowers in person. Perhaps I should. It seems only fitting for me to meet my
namesake.
Red Hair
“Are you from
Ireland?” Is a question I’ve grown accustomed
to answering over the years. I don’t
know what it is about red hair that makes people assume you’re from
Ireland. It is actually Scotland that
holds the highest percentage of redheads at 13% of their population. Ireland and Wales come in second with a 10%
redheaded population. I do have Welsh
ancestry so perhaps that’s where the red gene comes from.
My thick auburn hair
has been a source of pride for me my whole life. It’s what sets me apart from everybody
else. It’s unusual that a day goes by
without my hearing compliments like, “I love your hair!” and “Is that your
natural color? It’s gorgeous!” My hair has become so much a part of my
identity that sometimes I think that’s all people see when they look at
me. I’m the girl with the long red
hair. Today my hair is as long as it’s
ever been as it hangs past my waist. I
feel like a hippie. Someday I will cut
it off as Jo March did in Little Women
and learn how to identify myself without it.
Heather In Lore
In Scotland white
heather is considered good luck, just as the four-leaf clover is considered
lucky in Celtic mythology. In 1544 the
large Scottish clan Ranald attributed a victory to the white heather woven into
their bonnets, and Cluny of Clan MacPherson claimed he escaped from his enemies
by hiding in a patch of white heather.
It is also said that white heather grows on the burial grounds of fairy
folk. Alexander Wallace, said in his
book, Heather in Lore, Lyric and Lay “The Heather enters into the literature, the poetry, the
lyrics, and into the home life of the Scottish people, to a degree unsurpassed
by any other plant in the history of nations.”
Heather On the Hill
My dad loves the song
"Maria" from Westside Story. He loves it so much in fact that I remember
him speculating that name for my younger sister before she was born. Unfortunately we have no Latino or Hispanic
heritage so that name was rather inappropriate.
She was named Michelle instead and now he sings "Michelle, my
belle" from the Beatles.
As far as I know there
aren't any popular songs about someone named Heather. However, there is a lovely song from the
1950's musical Brigadoon about two
lovers frolicking through the fields of heather. It goes:
Can't we two go walkin' together, out
beyond the valley of trees?
Out where there's a hillside of
heather, curtsyin' gently in the breeze.
That's what I'd like to do: see the
heather--but with you.
The mist of May is in the gloamin', and
all the clouds are holdin' still.
So take my hand and let's go roamin'
through the heather on the hill.
When I looked up the lyrics to this song the line, "Out where there's a hillside of heather, curtsyin' gently in the breeze." particularly stood out to me. So much so in fact that I was inspired to paint this self portrait of myself.
This scene in Brigadoon is
really quite stunning as Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse dance through the fields
of heather. Cyd's dress is utterly
gorgeous as it flares in colors of red and gold, and good old Gene is as smooth
and charismatic as ever. I watched this
movie years and years ago as a young girl, and although the rest of the movie
has faded from memory that scene has left a deep imprint on my mind. Perhaps it was the repetitious use of my name
throughout the song that engrained this scene so strongly in my memory.
Not so Dainty
Heather flowers are
extremely adaptable. The can survive an
impressive range of moisture levels, from swampy bogs, to acid soils in open
woodlands. They typically grow in heaths,
moors, and grasslands whose soil is not known for its plentiful nutrients. It is an exceptionally hearty plant, able to
withstand extreme weather conditions from temperatures ranging from -18 F to
100 F. Their bark is among the toughest
in the world for both trees and shrubs.
Adaptability
To be completely honest
I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to upper body strength. I am ashamed whenever I come up red faced and
huffing completing after a measly one or two pushups, and I have never been
able to accomplish a full pull up. I may be slightly pathetic when it comes to
muscle mightiness, but fortunately for me there are other forms of
strength. Like the heather flower I can
be quite adaptable. I have lived in
several places among different cultures across the United States, ranging from
the hills of Appalachia to the deserts neighboring Navajo reservations in
Arizona. I have always been able to do reasonably well in every place I’ve ever
lived. I make friends easily. I adapt well to my surroundings. I am able to do what is necessary to secure
my own happiness no matter where I live.
Calluna Vulgaris
Heather plants have many
practical uses. In fact, it’s scientific
name, Calluna vulgaris, means to “clean” or to “brush.” Which indeed seems appropriate considering
people once used to make brooms out of heather.
But that’s not all! Scottish
Highlanders cemented heather and heath stems with peat mud in order to build
their huts. They also used it for
bedding, basket weaving, and herbal remedies for coughs, arthritis, and
rheumatism.
Oh the Irony!
As a child my parents
tried to teach me the importance of keeping the household tidy. They gave me daily chores such as making my
bed, cleaning the bathrooms, and doing the dishes. Unfortunately I have not carried these habits
into adulthood. I am married, with a
two-year old son and still I live like a college student. I make my bed approximately once a year,
clean out the fridge every six months, and sweep the floors about once a
week. It’s bad. I think I need to rethink my priorities. It’s
ironic that my namesake’s scientific name means “to clean” because that is my
least favorite activity in the whole world!
What’s in a Name?
As you can see my name is
very suitable to my personality in some ways, and rather contrary in
others. I’m sure if you do as much
research on the meaning of your name as I have done on mine you will come to a
similar conclusion. Our names don’t
determine who we are. That is as it
should be. As a parent I would hate to
be placed with that much responsibility!
Still, names are fun. I encourage everyone to reflect on their own names
and do a bit of research. You may be
surprised by what you find.
