The Name “Dauthor”

When I took upon myself this form which we call Jackie, my earthly father named this baby Dauthor Jacqueline Richey–after a cousin of his by the name of Dauthor.

But I was never called by this name. After this cousin Dauthor passed into the next dimension, I suppose I am the only person who bears this name. Very few people even know that I have it.

But because there are official forms which must be filled out with the first name and middle initial, my secret is occasionally discovered. Frank Baldanza, my thesis advisor in graduate school, was one who happened upon my secret and very excitedly pointed out to me that my fate was contained within that name —that I was obviously destined to be an author–as this name confirmed.

Unlike other parts of the world, in this country we don’t put much stock in the significance of a name. I haven’t done so either. But over the years, countless people have asked me what I have written, or told me that I should write, or asked me to be sure to send them anything I had written.

I heard a preacher say once that you couldn’t say that one day you were going to become anything —that you can say you are a writer only if you are actually writing. So I tried to start writing every day. It was so forced and burdensome that I soon abandoned the attempt.

But recently I awakened with this thought. It is time to begin writing, for now you have something to say. You could never write before because you would regret what you had written.

I immediately thought of a line from a song sung by Susan Boyle on her album I Dreamed a Dream: I am who I was born to be.

Who was I born to be? I thought of the words of Jesus when questioned by Pilate:

John 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

No wonder I couldn’t write before now! The only reason for any one of us to take upon us form and come into this world is to bear witness to the truth. And how can we bear witness to something that we are not even aware of? This of course does not mean that we all become writers (Jesus didn’t) or teachers (as Jesus did); but we can all be the truth (as Jesus said He was), employing whatever gifts have been given us. (1Corinthians 12:7 (KJV) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.)

I could not write before now because I did not know that I knew the truth (1John 2:20-1 (KJV) But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.). But now I do —if only in part (1Corinthians 13:9 (KJV) For we know in part). And now I will bear witness to the truth that I know that I know. I have chosen to do it under the name D’author —adding the apostrophe for emphasis.