What’s in a name? This is one thing I was thing about today. People’s names. What they mean. And…. how it is that certain names became shorty names.
For instance. And there are many instances. But let’s take old “Richard.” How did it translate to Dick?
What about “Margaret”? I can understand Marge. OR Marg. But Peggy? Maggie? What the heck?
Some I understand. Deborah is Deb. Fred comes from Alfred. Or Al. But looky there. Al could also be Albert. Or Alan.
This is getting complicated. Whack-A-Doodle-Doo.
Now three that come to mind right now are Bob and Bill and Bud. Robert and William and Budweiser.
Here is the why of it. Bill W. And Dr. Bob founded Alcoholics Anonymous on this very date… in 1935. Of all places… in Akron, Ohio. Yep. Those guys put together that little program which has helped so many people overcome alcoholic addiction since that June 10th, so long ago.
Bill wrote out the 12 Steps. It took him quite some time. And once he laid out the main outline, he had to run it by the other members of AA. It was quite a stir back then. But finally, they all agreed on what it has become today. The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Both their wives were Saints…. I am pretty sure. Lois and Ann. Their names aren’t short for anything. They were born Lois, and Ann. But they put up with a LOT while their husbands were drinking. And then, in the early days of AA… they did more for the program than many other of the early integrals.
Little did they know that those 12 Steps would be utilized for everything from Over Eating…. to Quitting Smoking… to… well… just about quitting anything.
And the anonymous thing… they only go by their first names in that program. Shorty names and all.
So…yes…. back to the names. There you have it. What is in a name? Apparently. A lot.
And to all the people in AA… Happy Anniversary. A different kind of Bud is for You. The kind that opens, and grows…. and with a little care and love… becomes something very much alive… and filled with beauty.
“Grow where you are planted.” – Proverb