It's my last name

Grandpa Hallows with his horse, Missy, sharing a kiss

I know of two distinct blessings I got from the Personal Progress program for the young women in my church. One of the goals challenged us to write in our journal everyday for a week. It was hard and I didn't have much to write, but I managed. Most likely because of that goal, I am now a prolific journaler and am very thankful for the memories I have preserved and for the therapeutic process that is journaling.

Papa Hallows (my dad) carrying on the tradition of handcranking ice cream with his grandsons

The second blessing was learning about my family. One of the smaller goals was to talk to your family about their last name, ask them what that names means to them, then record those thoughts in your journal. Here's my journal entry from November 7th, 1994

I ask my dad what our family name means to him and he said these are the words that come to mind: sincere, hardworking, logical, trustworthy, and fair minded. I can honor my family name by trying to be all of these!

I never realized how much of an effect this little exchange had on me until recently. I was talking to an elderly sister at church about her interesting last name and its origin. It's a very unique sound, one that I didn't think I'd heard in any of the languages I'd ever come across. She told me where in obscure Europe it was from but I still thought its pronunciation was very unique. She told me that it was actually supposed to be pronounced differently but when her husband was in college, he got tired of correcting people so he changed the pronunciation.

I didn't say anything to her but I was thinking what an effrontery to his family that was, or would seem to me. His name wasn't that complicated (it was only one syllable!). Then I remembered talking to my dad all those years ago and what my name means to me. I feel such a strong connection to my family because of my last name. I feel that in changing it, it means turning your back on all the wonderful, intangible things your family has handed down to you.

Grandpa and Grandma Hallows with Grandma and Grandpa Knight

I have my Grandmother Knight's collection of wooden safari animals, a Tums tin my Grandfather Knight carried with him all through WWII, a Hummel from my Grandmother Hallows, and my Grandfather Hallows' Shakespeare book. While I love these temporal objects, I love the eternal things they gave me more.

Grandma Hallows and me

I love that I have my Grandma Knight's toes, Grandpa Knight's fair skin, Grandma Hallows' light brown hair (she told me so herself...), and Grandpa Hallows left-handedness. Again, slightly temporal things.

I love that I got Grandma Knight's tenacity, Grandpa Knight's love of gardening, Grandma Hallows' strong work ethic, and Grandpa Hallows' passion for and skill with animals.

Great-grandpa Nathan James Hallows

I would like to add to my family name the virtues of loyalty and true-ness. I see these in my cousins, too, and am so proud to carry my family name. I feel that by them giving me a name they are allowing me to carry on the honor of the Hallows name. Bestowing that honor shows that they trust me with a very precious gift and that I'm worthy of being known to the world as a Hallows.