There is something soooo special about hearing someone you care about say your name.You feel validated as a person and seen as a real human being. It's a tiny detail, one that I didn't really notice for years, but now I delight in hearing my name said.
Last summer, I realized that none of my previous boyfriends addressed me by my name -- or at least not regularly enough for me to ever notice.
One guy used to give me a lot of nicknames. They were fun, silly, and enjoyable (especially for this girl who never really had any up until that time), but they still were not full representations of me.
If you think about it, only your name can truly represent all of you since it is YOU who brings the meaning to that name. Anything else falls a bit short.
Another other guy I dated simply bypassed the name-calling altogether. I don't know how he did it, but he managed to never refer to me directly. When I'd answer the phone, he'd just say, "Hi." And I suppose there was never an occasion in our relationship where I was a few yards away from him and he needed to beacon me closer. Perhaps he just used a lot of hand gestures or something. I can't remember. It's been too long.
But I do know with certainty that I have missed the standard first name-calling in my relationships. And I miss it in my professional life also, since all my students respectfully refer to me as "Miss Gorman."
But when someone calls me Lisa, Lisa Lynne, Lisa Lynne Catherine, or even my full name (Ms. Lisa Lynne Catherine Gorman, M.Ed., Esq.), my little ears perk up and my lips curve into a bright, happy smile. :)
