Hey Sunflower Girl!

Seven years ago I was finishing up divorce documents.  My attorney told me that if I wanted to legally change my name, we could include my name change with my papers.  "So," I asked him, "I can change my name back to my maiden name?"  He laughed and said, "you can change your name to whatever you want." 

Whatever I want.  I liked the sound of that.  I was starting a new chapter in my life and a new name seemed like a good way to start.  What name fit who I was now?

I came up with the name Sunflower. 

I live in the beautiful desert of Utah.  It is hot here in the summers.  Uncomfortably hot.  The soil where I live is actually rock with a little bit of sand.  We have long periods of drought. Water is rationed every summer.  Yet, in these adverse conditions, these beautiful sunflowers dot the landscape.  They can blossom in these conditions because they have roots that go down deep and seek for water.  Yes.  I had been through my emotional desert and had the strong roots of friends, family, spirituality, and a sense of self that allowed me to flourish in adverse conditions.  Sunflower it was.  Until I spoke with my sister.

"Don'tcha think that changing your name to Sunflower might hurt Mom and Dad's feelings?"  Oh yeah.  History.  Heritage.  Not to mention that I actually like the name they chose.   I didn't change my name to Sunflower.  But I let the wild sunflower seeds bloom in my yard along with a few hybrid varieties.

A couple of years after my divorce I began dating my current husband.  He sent a bouquet of sunflowers to my office.  He's a keeper.