Formerly known as…

 

This phrase has been used a lot recently. Formerly known as Prince. Formerly known as Twitter. Formerly known as the President of the United States.

We all have a previous history. We are not the same as we were in elementary school. We have made some changes and other changes have been done to us.

Changing a name is easy but who will remember who you were? If they do remember who you were, will they recognize you as you are today?

Next month, going to a high school reunion. Most of survivors will have to check the yearbook to make a connection to my name. All of our appearances have certainly changed in the half century, so who-is-who without a name tag.

How much of your ‘former self’ do you want to reveal to a stranger?

Or you can just make up stuff that they can home impressed and never verified. Remember, they could do the same to you.

A reunion is all about catching up of years gone by. Do you talk about your daughter dying of drugs or your son in jail? Do you talk about the office affair? Do you talk about not being able to hang onto a job and going on welfare? Do you talk about fathering children or having an abortion?

Mostly people talk about their (at this point) grandchildren, their illnesses, and their retirement. Some may have hobbies, while a few may have been creative.

Then everyone will try to remember. That building was formerly a restaurant of a forgotten name. That guy was formerly in my office but I can’t remember his name. That unnamed girl was formerly known as my girlfriend. Went shopping there at that formerly known as, but I forgot its name.

Unless you are a family member or read a long detail obituary, graveyards are full of formerly known as names with dates of arrival and departure.