Free Write

     My name is Ella Friedman, but I am Scott and Karen Friedman. My parents the people who gave me green eyes, brown hair and pale skin, but more importantly the name Ella and who I am. Although there are thousands of Ellas in the world, there is only one me.  What does Ella mean? A four letter word that holds many memories, emotions and secrets. Everyday I live, the word's meaning changes and evolves. A person's name reveals more than just how people get their attention. A name is your family, your past, your future, your thoughts, and your identity. When a person is born, they get a name. It may be made up by their parents, or it could be from their family from hundreds of years ago. Your name is just a word, but it is has a very complex meaning that no one may understand besides you. You can look up your name on urban dictionary or decide what name fits what you look like best, but your name is really just a word that summarizes who you are. It does not decide who you are, but you can control what it means.
     "Ella" came from my great grandmother. Her name reminds me of my grandma's house and how it always smells like a different food every time I visit her. I inherited my love for baking and my future bad memory from her.  Her name makes me think of visiting my grandmas house on holidays and the tall trees that surround her house and cover the ground in pinecones in the winter.
     "Rose", my middle name comes from my aunt. This name reminds me of all the memories I have with my cousins and uncles and aunts on my moms side. It reminds me of all the family vacations we have had. Rose is the Christmas at my cousin's house every year and the endless amount of food during winter break.
     Friedman comes from my dad's side of the family, but what is interesting about it, is that I am not actually a Friedman by blood. My grandpa, who owns the name Friedman is not actually my dad's biological dad, so my real last name is a mystery. I still am a Friedman. Friedman is my dad's side of the family. They remind me of the Galveston ocean, which is not very pretty, but holds a special place in my heart. It reminds me of my cousins who I always have the best times with, and my grandparent's old house that the kids always spent hours ghost hunting in. Friedman is last name I am proud to have, and it has shaped who I am. Each of my relatives that I get parts of my name from have all changed who I am and shaped my identity.
     My name is not a word that defines me, but rather something that I create. Everyday my name means something different, but I will always be me.