Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Choose an Identity

This morning I went to leave a comment on a blog and just below the comment, blogger suggests you Choose an Identity...So, I chose blogger profile: Ronda's Rants and my comment appeared. It however,  starting me thinking of all the opportunities we have to choose our identities. I am a wife and I happily choose that identity although Mrs.Hubby  has never, ever appealed to me. I love him but I rather dislike being known as a Mrs. Him. I find wedding invitations boringly difficult.  My mother-in-law referred to our whole family as "The Bob's"...it annoyed the hell out of me...but that is another blog post.

The other place we are forced to Choose an Identity or at least people of my age group do is when our children have children. This would make us the Grandparents.A grandparent by any other name is still a grandparent. Some of my dear friends choose names that make us sound less like grandparents and more like Prep school students. Muffy, Mia, Nina and others.  I am guilty of it myself. I am Gigi. I didn't choose it, I chose Granny. I would have gladly been one and with all the images that went with it. The First Grandson decided on Gigi and that was that. He deserves the right to name me! I am just grateful he didn't call me "The old washer woman" because I would have  answered to it! But,  I know other Gigi (s), in fact it has gotten so common that Hubby joked that I should change mine to Lady Gigi. There are a lot of hip variations of grandmother these days and I smile each time I hear a new one. One of my friends told me before her child had the baby ... that she would like to be called "Princess"...I waited for the punch line that never came. I don't know how this all played out but sanity ruled out and she is now called Grandmomma, maybe there is a Princess in front of that for special occasions.

I would gladly choose my identity as grandmother. It has been the best time of my life. My children are wonderful parents and the fulfillment I enjoy comes from thinking I have played a small part in their success as parents. So...maybe...Lady Gigi is befitting...






6 comments:

Diane said...

You, my friend, are not a 'Granny.' 'Granny' conjures up images of little, grey-haired ladies in ruffled caps and flannel nightgowns. You may be a 'Granny' one day, a long, long time from now... but NOT now. GiGi is a most perfect name for you... fun and young. Carter knew what he was doing, he did.

Nichole C said...

I like it! It makes you sound distinguished (in a good way!). The woman I see sometimes for facials is a "GG" as well (she says it stands for Groovy Granny, and it really suits her. My mom says she doesn't want to be called grandma so I'm sure someday she'll have a "cool" name too ;)

Ladybird World Mother said...

Gigi sounds brilliant. I have no idea what I will be when the time comes, but like to think that the little one will call me something, and I'll go along with that, just like you. Now, off to read your previous post... about the inner voice!
x

Ronda's Rants said...

Thanks...and that is true when your sweet grandchild calls you the whatever name...you embrace it with a heart full of love!

Teri said...

You are a cool grandma no matter what name is given. I am Grandma Teri. . . That is what was given to me, so I take it. Like you, I'm thrilled to have the honor of being a grandparent, regardless of the nickname. Grand kids rock!

Kampin' Karen said...

I wanted to be Goga or Nona but Nana was chosen for me. I did get to pick my name as Godmother though...the parents have gotten used to Meemaw now!