At the age of 7, I can remember inquiring of my mother, Elouise, as to why she gave me such an “old -lady” name as that of Margaret.
I asked of her,“Why did Ashley get a modern name and I got the old person’s name? Everyone else in my class has a cool name—there’s Christina, Kaitlyn, Janel, Lisa and I got Margaret!”
Ashley, my younger sister, was named after a popular Young & The Restless soap opera character. I, according to my mother, was named after an older church mother. In my immature mind, a soap opera star and a church mother had no comparison. I would swap out Margaret for the soap opera name any day- hands down!
After a few more minutes of listening to my complaints, my mother simply said, “There is a reason why I named you Margaret. You may not like it or think that it is “old-fashioned” but there is purpose in your name. You are a little lady with a mature soul. You are a unique and rare gift to this world and in God’s time, you’ll understand it all.”
Sources state that Margaret is derived from the Greek word for “pearl.” A pearl is detailed “as a hard object produced within soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk…. something rare, fine, admirable and valuable.”
The urban dictionary defines Margaret “as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Margaret is radiant and smiles from the inside out. She lights up a room when she walks in. A girl of good character. She has the heart of an angel, shows compassion and encourages everyone around her. She is sincere, sensitive and kind…. Has a flare for fashion…Has a passion for life! Intelligent and discerning. A person you can trust with your heart…She is old fashioned…Loyalty is one of her many attributes. Margaret has a huge capacity for love. If you are ever lucky enough to have a Margaret in your life, then you have found a rare treasure. “
Today, as Jelani’s wife, Ayanna and Jordan’s mother, Elouise’s daughter and as a woman on a never ending road of self discovery, I am daily discovering my mother’s reasoning behind giving me my name. My name, Margaret, accurately reflects my identity, defines my brand and consistently reminds me of my God-given purpose……
Through my personal, transparent, relatable, and often comical chronicles of womanhood, marriage, parenting, and spirituality, I aim to inspire and encourage you. I want you to know that you are not alone. In some fashion or form, we are all on the same journey. We each are composed of valuable material that is often compressed and hidden by the setbacks and demands of everyday life. We all want to make better choices. We all want to be loved, accepted and supported. We all have the capacity to mature from being tucked and shelled away into “something rare, fine, admirable and valuable!” We are all a “work in progress” with unlimited potential to become an absolute masterpiece.
My life, my love, and my light are far from perfect. Yet, by God’s grace, I continue to pursue a life that is pleasing unto Him – edifying myself, loved ones and those who cross my path.
Simply put, I am Lady Margaret and my life is indeed an old fashioned strand of treasure!!!