BOUND

past and past participle of bind

My daughter B's full name means tied or bound. Being the free spirit that she is, she's never been a big fan of this. I think she would prefer to live her life untethered and I wonder whether there is a man out there who will make her willing to set aside her freedom to join her life to his. I love this about her, but I hope that in time, she will like the meaning of her name. Because we are all bound, whether we like it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not.

Maybe having the name she does, B will also have the wisdom to bind herself to the right things, in the right ways. Hopefully, she will bind her heart to the Lord and stay closely knit with Him her entire life. Hopefully, she will tie her heart to another and feel that tether give her strength, rather than tie her down. Hopefully, her passion to be herself will bind her actions to her heart, so that she lives authentically. I likewise hope that B will actively choose the these bonds rather than tie herself to things that others - including myself - might think right for her.

Not long ago, I queried the meaning of B's name on a more comprehensive baby name finder and found another meaning: exceedingly beautiful. I happily shared this with her, hoping that it would please her. It did and it thrilled my heart. I think B's name suits her. She is not a traditional person and the spelling of her name alone sets her apart. She is already exceedingly beautiful to me because of the unique combination of traits she possesses (and, let's be honest, she's my daughter - of course I think she's beautiful). As she turns 8 today, I look forward to seeing her beauty emerge in new ways and to seeing what she binds herself to and what bonds she throws off because they can not hold her back. Happy birthday, B!