Life truly is a cycle. Evident in my own life by the reason they call me Cha. I can't say I ever remember a time I wasn't called that by those closest to my heart. As a small child, my sister who was a mere toddler just couldn't grasp the name 'Sandra'. So, as children do, she came up with her own way of saying it. "Cha-Cha". Shortened to 'Cha' it stuck with me all through childhood and into adult life.
As I married, had children of my own and moved away from Meridian for many years, the term of endearment was used less and less. I can't say I really missed it. Who misses childhood nicknames? But as we returned and became close to my parents and siblings again,'Cha' also returned.
It wasn't until my niece, Kelly, who at the time was just a small child, started repeating the name she heard. I realized then, that it was moving into another generation. Since that time grandchildren have come along, and I am now 'Cha' to them also. Who would have thought that a mere tongue twister of a name to a small child would have traveled through three generations to settle into such a comfortably warm place of love that it is now? Every time it's used I can't help but smile and think of all it's been through, all it's seen, and mostly, all it's endured. I love 'Cha'. She's become my threshold to the past, and thankfully a very loving part of my present.
So, grab on to those small terms of endearment you share with your loved ones. They can carry us through generations and allow us to be a part of family stories to those we'll never meet. Who knows, those kindred spirits just may like us enough to attach themselves to our childhood memories.
Always~
Cha
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I love it! My mom is LaNeta and kids have never been able to pronounce it so they call her Ne Ne. I don't have any children of my own but that is what I wanted her to be called... but she has decided on "granny." Which is what her mom is called by my brother and I. So you can imagine at Christmas who always gets each others gifts. Granny and Granny!
ReplyDeleteWell it sure is nice to see your blog, Sandra!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of nicknames given by small children, my brother and I were just 11 months apart, so he was just learning to speak when I came along. Joey couldn't say Jennifer, so my parents tried to get him to say Sister, thinking that might be easier. His Sister came out Ta Ta. So he called me Ta Ta for many years until he figured out it was much too babyish a thing for a boy to be saying. Fast-forward 20 something years to the birth of his first child. When Ashley got ready to talk, she couldn't say Jennifer either, so my Mom thought it would be sweet if she called me Ta Ta, just as her Father had done so long ago. Unfortunately, Ashley turned Ta Ta into Ka Ka. So for years, my lovely little neice called me Ka Ka. It wasn't so bad around the house, but it was a bit embarrassing in public. We got some looks.
I can't wait to read more of your blogs, Sandra!