name nAMes..

Today I received one reply e-mail from one of my classmate, Lisa Udarbe. She’s formerly Ma. Luisa Salvador to us during high school (http://grandreunion.blogspot.com), a head turner with her charm and beauty, intelligent, competent and what else. She’s the cream of the crop and graduated taking almost all of the honors and awards. Back in elementary, she’s the girl to beat.

What makes it funny was she didn’t recognize me. Who else could, unless I will give full details of my identity? Back in elementary, I was known to be “Renato”. But when I go to college, my parents corrected my name and changed it to “Rene”. This was the name registered in my birth certificate and little bit simpler to remember.
I turned 5 years old living with my paternal grand-grand father. Because my older sister was already going to school and I’m playing all alone by myself, he enlisted me to Grade 1 as “saling pusa” (seat-in). They didn’t bother to ask my parents (cell phones were not yet invented) what’s my real name was and guessed it to be “Renato”. Thinking that because I’m only “saling pusa’ and that I may not continue, they didn’t bother. Unfortunately, I enjoyed going to school and my teacher then told my oldies that I can be enrolled in the next grade. Since age requirement at that time was not so strict, I finished elementary at the age of 11 and 15 during high school. However, my name remained to be “Renato”, known to be as such with all my school records bearing the name.
When I go to college, my parents decided to correct it and have it changed to “Rene” thru an affidavit. From then on, whenever I present my school records, the affidavit has to be included. (About the age, I also finished my 5-year agricultural engineering course at the age of 20.)

Coming here in Saudi Arabia, again my name was changed. In my company records, I was known as “Rene Andres” deleting the “San”. For reasons jokingly stated, that saints were not recognized in Islam.
My name was changed several times but the person remains the same. However a person was called or registered, his true identity will stick to his personality. Memories of a persons good deeds, conduct, strong character, how he dealt towards others and life itself, will remarkably remain in ones consciousness. “Oh, that guy or gal is like this..” How I could be known and what others speaks about me, would perhaps speaks of my true identity.

She could be Lisa S. or Lisa U., but she’ll remain to be the pretty and intelligent girl I knew. I could be Renato or Rene, but for others I would be this…and that…and this…and that.

Life will give us the chance to name that names you want to be known…