The Essence Of Our True Self

The story within our name.

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Happy, Happy Mother’s Day!

To all those who mother in any and all ways, I see and celebrate you. I know for many, this day can feel tricky. For others, today is nothing but a hallelujah. For all of you, please know that you are loved and a cherished part of our community. I am so honored you are here. Xoxo ~ WRW

Let’s get started with this week’s micro issue of my Little Black Book of hot off the press, favorite finds plus tried and true, time tested treasures.

1. Continuing our hunt for a special lighting piece for our future foyer, we found the Galet S Pendants by Atelier Alain Ellouz. The picture above shows the uniform round shape of each pendant, however we especially love the organic form seen here. The softness of shape and light cast through the alabaster will compliment the warmth we want all to feel when they enter our home.

2. This Hudson Valley all natural artisan “sciroppo d'acero” is “sustainably harvested from one hundred year old silver, red and sugar maple trees.” It is wood fired, bottled and waxed by hand and synthesizes the flavors of brown sugar, barley, charred wood and vanilla. We use this deliciously yummy maple syrup not only on homemade waffles but also in dressings, sauces, and marinades. It is also a lovely hostess gift or treasure to give to any foodie friend.

3. Jacques Marie Mage Molino 55 Sunglasses. The sun is shining and so a defining pair of sunnies is definitely in order. Since I need glasses to see these days, frames are a big part of my wardrobe. I found Jacque Marie Mage in Aix-en-Provence last summer and fell in love with the handmade quality, high style, and extremely limited run of each pair. Each pair is numbered and once they are sold out, that particular model is never made again.

Dear Friends,

Whitney R Westcott is my pen name. Of which I'm thinking of changing again as I continue my journey in figuring out the pen name that authentically reflects who I am. The photo on my Profile and About Page is of me. The yin-yang of having a pen name yet still sharing a picture of myself is my attempt at maintaining some privacy on this vast internet while also connecting with you honestly and authentically by putting a face to my inner thoughts, experience, and knowledge I share here.

My actual birth name is an homage to some of the ancestral women in my maternal family. My first name belonged to my mother’s mother (my grandmother). My first middle name (I have two middle names) was my great-aunt’s name. My second middle name is a contraction of my great-grandmother’s and her sister’s names.

In addition to those four names, when I was young my great-grandmother gave me the nickname, Little Missy, to distinguish me from her daughter (my grandmother) when calling or referencing us, reducing confusion since we shared the same first name.

For many of us, nicknames also serve as time markers. We can tell who or where certain friendships stemmed by what name we are called or call others. These given names of adoration provide insight not only into the person but also into how other people think of us. They are a double prism rather than a one-way mirror.

Naming our children is an endeavor that we all put a great deal of thought into.

In the Native American naming tradition, names are considered a significant tribute that change over the course of one’s life. Children receive names that are descriptive, yet may be given new names in adolescence, and again later in life, reflecting their life experiences and accomplishments.

I personally believe we come to this life already with our name. A name that speaks to who we are at our core, reflects our true nature, and our innate identity. I believe that it is our job as parents to discover what that moniker is for our child. That it is not for us parents to dress our children with an identity but to uncover who this unique soul-force is. We do this by tuning into our unborn and the all-knowing of the universe, asking, considering, and excavating the name of our child. Who is this person? Who is this person? Who is this person?

My son’s name translates to “the keeper of the torch that holds the light in the place of worship”. It also means “smiling, happy one”. It is a 6th-century BCE Zoroastrian name.

His soul’s nature is exuberant white light; the light of deep knowing that originates beyond here and now. Time and again, intuitively my son has guided me, reflected to me what I need to learn, and healed wounds, past and present. Illuminating white light underscored by his smile, music, and laughter.

My daughter’s name translates to “I would lay down my life for you” and “mischievous one”. Her name is a 3rd-century CE Pahlavi name.

She is incredibly strong — strong-minded, purposeful, and capable. Her resolve for what is important to her is steadfast and unstoppable. She is loyal to her people and her ideology. Principled. And oh can my daughter be a little devilish!

If we are lucky, we are seen, greeted, and acknowledged for who we come into the world as. If we are lucky, we discover the truth of ourselves, sharing it with our loved ones and the world along the way.

For those of us whose names are given based on family tradition or lineage, I have often wondered, who am I, named after so many women who have come before me but are not me?

Perhaps for us we fulfill the destiny of our namesakes. Perhaps our ancestral names are to remind us first of “us”, not “me”.

I shared very close relationships with two of the four women I'm named after, my great-aunt and great-grandmother. Their imprint upon who I am today is significant and in some ways surprising to me the way certain seeds blew from their blooms and planted fertile within my own soil.

I follow in the steps of my great aunt in her belief in the power of God, the magic of going to church, and striving to be the best version of ourselves. On the many weekends I spent with her while I was a little girl, I also was the benefactor of how she led with love, kindness, and forgiveness. My preference for homeopathy, natural remedies, and wholistic functional practitioners over western medicine also came from her example and our time together Sunday mornings at her Church of Christian Science.

My great-grandmother knew who she was and what she wanted. She was strong and independent with her own thoughts and opinions. She was direct and cut to the chase. In a word: formidable. I believe parts of her are parts of me.

Dr. Cara Goodwin of

Parenting Translator

shares in Choosing Your Child's Name (According to Research) a multitude of interesting research findings associated with different name choices. Specifically she dives into what the research has found relative to certain life outcomes based upon one’s name. The considerations are the following:

“Choosing your baby’s name is a personal and difficult decision. However, if you need some guidance, research suggests you may want to consider whether the name is gender neutral, how easy the name is to pronounce, whether the name sounds like any particular occupation or location you would want your child to avoid, and the potential for the name to grow in popularity.”

One of the “most important considerations Dr. Goodwin tongue and cheek points out is “whether either parent has a former girlfriend or boyfriend with that name (I’m kind of kidding, but not really),” which I thought was cute and oh so true/not true as many jokes are.

All joking aside, a person’s name is much more than a way to distinguish someone from everyone else in the world.

“Knowing someone’s name transformed [them] into a unique and special individual, with a past and a future, with ancestors and probably descendants, a person who has known triumphs and failures. People are their names; they’re proud of them; they repeat them thousands of times in their lifetime and identify with them.” ~ Paulo Coehlo

In essence, our name is an anchor point in the development of one’s identity. While who we are continually shape shifts based upon our life circumstances and experiences, our identity, self-worth, and personal legacy remains inextricably tied to our name. A name that we carry from birth until death and hopefully beyond, for as our name continues to be mentioned, our memory continues, allowing us to connect with the past, present, and future.

Sending love,