I’ve got a very rich family history, but I’m way behind in knowing and understanding it. So, just as God has prompted me to the larger fellowship of the Catholic Church, He has also prompted me into a much richer fellowship with my extended family. This has led to a lot of fun conversations with my father and mother.
As I talk with my mother, she has often blessed me and told me how much I remind her of her father. And in those conversations she confessed that she wished that she had given me his full name at my birth. She didn’t want to give me four names, which was understandable. But as we talked it over we thought that it was still a good idea. So in the fall of 2018, we went together to the notary public and submitted an application to update my legal name. Due to the wonderful bureaucracy of our state government, as well as Covid, the process was as long and confusing as it could be. And then lo and behold in early 2023 it was finally ratified. So my legal name is now William Gordon McCabe Blocker.
To some, this might seem to be a bit ceremonial, eccentric, or odd. And I can understand those perspectives. But I am very proud that my mom suggested this. I am very proud of this name. And I’m happy to answer the questions people asked me about it. In case you’re wondering, I’m still going by good old “Gordon.” It’s simply a way to honor my mother and grandfather, not to change my social norm or confuse my friends. By the way, when I joined the Catholic Church, I found my baptismal certificate and I saw my grandfather’s name printed on it as my godfather as well. It was pretty special to see. I’m looking forward to our reunion in heaven. And, since he died when I was only 6, I’ve got lots of questions for him.
My devotion to family has also led to bucket list trips to UVA, Galveston, Indiana, Greenville, Clemson, Flat Rock, and more. I want to learn the stories and connect to the heritage.
I want to leave a better legacy for my kids and grandkids as well. As my brother Chris has taught me (based on what he’s learned) sometimes you have to “go backwards to go forwards.”
To read more about my experiences, and the church click here. To read more about things I’ve been reflecting on click here.
P.S. why choose the extension .info? I didn’t want to look for a catchy .com address. The point of this is not to market or promote something. It’s just a place to share. So .info seemed to be the most appropriate and I was able to get letters that I wanted. 🙂