When I was growing up, my best friends had multisyllabc  names such as Lynda and Barbara.  Their names flowed like waterfall.  My name just clunked.  Gail sounded  hard, inflexible. When I married, I made my maiden name into my middle name so old friends could still find me.  In so doing, I abandoned my middle name, Donna,  which I suppose I could have adopted as my first name.  After all, it had the two syllables and final a I seemed to crave. I might have remained dissatisfied forever until a friend who knew some Hebrew pointed out that Gail derived from Abba Gael (Abigail).

Father’s joy, or more exactly, “Daddy’s joy”.   I tucked this translating into my heart for safekeeping.  Many years later I would learn that my parents had lost a baby before birth, so they were thrilled not only by my arrival, but by my timing.  You see Mom brought me home from the hospital and placed me in Daddy’s arms on their second anniversary.  Little Gail was Daddy’s joy, indeed.  So I’ve made peace with my plain name , a solid name, like faith, hope, love–and joy.

Abba, Father, You know my name.  May I always be Your Joy too.—–Gail