Hi my name is ...

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     Hi, my name is Sarah. Across all languages, my name has a positive meaning. In Hebrew it means Princess. Though it can also mean bringer of light of happiness. Either one is a good translation. The name is a religious one. It comes from the Bible for the Jews and Christians and can roughly be traced to the Quran. In both cases, I'm okay with it. My dad is of Syrian and Lebanese heritage and my mom is European American. I am glad my name can be traced to both sides.

    Another interesting about the name Sarah is that it has a nickname, Sally. The odd thing for me is that both are the same amount of letters. It's not like you are actually shortening the name. For instance, Isabella could be Bell, Bella, or Isa. There is no reason to shorten a five-letter name to another five-letter name. The name itself doesn't define me. The name makes up a large part of who I am but It is my personality that truly makes me me. I could have a different name and the same experiences and still be the same person. Though I think that a name does largely impact how you see yourself and how others see you.

         Names are just one part of you. You are also the relationships within your family. I have to think hard about when I have been two aspects of myself. The first thing that comes to mind is my relationship with my brother. We are five years apart with me being the older sibling. A lot of times I forget he is a lot young and tries to give him life lessons that do not always pertain to Middle School. I then have to remember to meet him where he is and be there to listen when he needs to talk. And things have changed so much since I was in Middle School. Things were easier for me. What they're doing academically in 7th grade is what I did Freshman year. I have to remind myself that he is his own person and that he has to be able to figure things out on his own no matter how much I want to do it for him.

If you want to learn about the origin of your name go here

The Man Carrying the Cross

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 This photography piece is by Wing Young Huie. It is a visual representation of the phrase 'Everyone has a cross to bare'. The photo does not have a location specified. Huie did not tell the audience where he took the photo. But he did take the photo in 2018 and published it to his website.
       
         When you first look at the photograph you see a man holding a cross and walking. He seems to be in a rural setting based on the lack of houses and buildings. The photo is also blurry which was done intentionally by Huie. The photo is not focusing on any one person or setting.

         When looking at the photo more in depth there is a religious meaning behind the man. The Bible calls for everyone to pick up his/her cross and carry it. That is the one way into Heaven. The cross for Christians symbolizes the sins in peoples' lives, and carrying it shows we acknowledge and remember how people in the past literally carried the crosses they would die on. This photo shows how all people will have a cross to bare no matter what type of person you are such as gender, social status, etc.

        In both the photograph and 'The Handmaids Tale' there is a concept of "othering." Having the man carry a large cross shows he has many sins which singles him out of the group. The photo also has only one person in the frame and that is to further separate him from the group. In 'The Handmaids Tale' Offred is made an other by her outfit.What she wears creates a barrier between her and the other women in Gilead. In Huie's photo it shows a barrier that is typically unseen. Carrying a cross is usually an inward journey. In 'The Handmaids Tale' all the barriers between the women can be physically seen. Unlike the photo the barriers in Gilead will always be out in the open and cannot be hidden. Though similarly both barriers are religious. 

     For more information about Huie's artwork go here.