What's in a Name?

If you look at my profile, you may think that my name is Teri.  However, my given name is actually Teresia (and yes, that is spelled correctly.)  The story goes that my grandmother suggested my name in honor of St. Theresa, and my mother, who's name was Julia, thought since they sounded the same, they must be spelled the same.  So, instead of the common spellings of Teresa and Theresa, I became Teresia.  I thought I was the only one who spelled it that way, but I have met at least two others who spell it the same way, one of which pronounces it the same as I do, and one who pronounces it with an emphasis on the ia.  I have since discovered that my spelling isn't all that uncommon, in fact it is listed in www.behindthenames.com as a Swedish variation.  And no, my mom isn't Swedish - she's English/Scotch/Irish/Cherokee/Jewish/maybe a little German… (in other words, a Heinz 57.  I can't claim to be "Something-American", I'm just plain ole American.

I know the common meaning of my name, but I'm not sure exactly what it MEANS.  Does it mean that I bring summertime into people's lives?  Summertime, which generally means freedom, vacations, relaxation, respite?  Is it summer harvest?  Things that are harvested in the summer include primarily good things - yummy fruits and vegetables. I really have no idea! 

I researched a little bit about St. Theresa.  There are actually five figures known as St. Theresa.  Of course,

there is the most famous, Mother Teresa.  Her story is well known and she is held in high regard by nearly everyone.  She saw beyond classes, beyond color, beyond race, beyond status and simply saw people who needed help. 

The other prominent St. Theresa (and the one that I was told I was named after) is the saint that was sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in his Ecstasy of St. Theresa.  This St. Therese was a 16th century mystic, known for experiencing visions of Christ.  I'm not Catholic, but I did find the write up of her on the American Catholic website to be informative and interesting.  She wasn't a quiet, reserved, retiring nun, but was something of a reformer who was acquainted with suffering. I do like some of the character traits that are listed about her, and hope that I exhibit some of the same: 

Beautiful, talented, outgoing, adaptable, affectionate, courageous, enthusiastic, she was totally human. Like Jesus, she was a mystery of paradoxes: wise, yet practical; intelligent, yet much in tune with her experience; a mystic, yet an energetic reformer. A holy woman, a womanly woman. *

Even though I'm not a Roman Catholic, both of these women epitomize the fruit of the Spirit that I am praying is being developed in me -  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  Does my life reflect the name that I claim - that of Christ?  That's more important than anything else.  

*http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1169