When I thought about the essay, I figured I wanted to write about Jonnine, a woman who has enriched my life in a huge way. I don't ever imagine having children but if I do, I will make sure my daughter's name includes Nini-- a nickname that Jonnine is often referred to as.
To My Unborn Daughter: The
Story of Your Name
Dedicated to Jonnine DeLoatch
The
day you are born I will call you Nini. When you are old enough to understand
why, I will tell you the story of your name. I will share this letter with you
so you know that much thought and consideration went into the selection of your
name. A name you will carry with you for as long as you choose.
You
were named after a survivor, after a source of light in the lives of countless,
after a woman filled with wisdom. Your name was inspired by a woman who helped
me grow, a woman who inspired me from the moment I first met her. I will call
you Nini so that I am reminded that no matter what you will have to endure in
life, you will have the strength to continue to walk your path. A reminder that
freedom is yours and wisdom is gained through endurance.
Nini
was the nickname of a woman named Jonnine DeLoatch, a woman I would first meet
during my first semester in college. It was the summer of 2010 and I was
sitting in my freshmen seminar course when a guest speaker came to class to
discuss emotional intelligence. The first thing I noticed about the guest
speaker was her distinct walk because she had a limp. As a person who grew up
with a disability, who visibly walked different than the others in my class
because of cerebral palsy, I instantly felt a connection to Jonnine. What
Jonnine and I both didn’t know that summer is that she and I would form a
connection that would serve as an anchor in my life when the storm got
dangerous.
Jonnine
or ‘Nini’ as she is affectionately known as is the kind of mentor you would be
lucky to have. She is the kind of woman I hope you grow up to be like;
intelligent, passionate, talented, honest, compassionate, and a fierce
protector of those she claims as the children she never had. When Jonnine
speaks to me—she does not only speak to my logical and emotional self, she
speaks to the core of my being. Her words, always firm and delivered with love
allowed me to navigate my time at William Paterson, and will remain with me
forever.
Your
name is part of a legacy—you were named after a woman who survived Cancer, a
woman who overcame radical religious conditions, a woman who dared to live her
truth, a woman who dared to strut through life with a smile on her face even
when circumstance tried to hinder her grace. I want you to proclaim your name
with pride, know that deep inside of you exist the history of a name that made
me the kind of father I am today.
I
will call you Nini and when you ask me why your name was chosen, I will tell
you that sometimes our blessings aren’t something we seek out and find,
sometimes our blessings just have a way of limping into our lives during a time
we need them the most. I will call you Nini and you will understand why you
must always cherish your name with pride.
Writer's Note:
As a writer, I love for the stories I write and the material I create to be shared and discussed-- however, I ask that you respect my intellectual property and that you attribute my writing if you decide to share it on any other platform:
Written by Mark Travis Rivera | www.MarkTravisRivera.com.
Thank you in advance.
