Wayne

I am collecting words that resonate. Maybe some day I'll have the skill to put them together in a poem.

I also collect names that strike me some way or another. For instance, I think the surname Thigpen just sounds like an antagonist. I find any variation of -wright to it to sound pretty good: Wheelwright, Oldwright, Wright...

One first name that seems to be empowered with lots of added value, in my life anyway, is Wayne. This name was my grandfather's middle name, and has since been employed as the middle name for my cousin, my brother, and sort of my son (Dwayne). I've written about my grandfather's importance in my life/mind many times before. I've known a couple of first-name Wayne's who have made a difference in my life, too. Wayne McD was a neighbor of mine, a guy who truly taught me what being neighborly is all about. He worked in a saw mill for decades out in California before returning to his roots in Kansas. I had the good fortune of going with him on a fishing trip and hunting for his family homestead in Missouri. Wayne McD was in his 60's when I knew him, and he'd had strokes, a bad heart, etc...but he manicured his lawn and he played online games religiously. Wayne S was another prominent Wayne in my life, serving as a most important mentor in my days as a volunteer coordinator. He emphasized that no meeting should go over an hour (and to prove the point, he'd walk out of mine if they went long). He was a great community activist, starting a chapter of Habitat (inspiring me to start a companion campus chapter). He got me involved in a book club, which I will always cherish, too.

Most of those Wayne's are gone now, but their impact on me will never be forgotten. Wayne is certainly a name I'll treasure.