Signed off

Today is not only a new day, it is now a very special day, because it is my first full day officially carrying my own name!   Last night I signed and had witnessed my name change documents, now I just have to distribute them to all the relevant parties; Banks, Council, Tax and National Insurance, DVLA, Passport, professional organisations, RHS, and all those loads of organisations I am part of, a customer of or simply who need to know.   I am sure that I will miss some and will keep getting stuff through in my old name, but I will try not to get upset about it, instead I intend to revel in the fact that, like the Queen, I will now have two birthdays.

This has made me muse on identity, I think  have written about this before quite recently, but will again anyway.   The question on my mind is where do we get our identity from, is it from our name? well I have just changed mine but I don't think that t has changed my identity, it has just brought my legal name into line with my existing identity.   Is it from what we do?  The standard question men are asked on a first meeting is "What do you do?" or worse "What are you?" Some will get their identity from family or other groups they belong to. Others again will get identity from their nationality or their location.

Personally I am a gardener, a musician, a parent, sure I'm trans, but I am also a Church member, a Londoner, and an environmentalist.   It seems to e that none of these on their own or indeed added together give me my identity, so what can?

I have often been heard to tell people that they need to understand themselves as beloved, adopted children of God, valued and cherished.   The other day while I was looking into "Why was Jesus resurrected" for the bible study group I lead I was struck b the thought that for those of us who do believe, and are baptised then our identity comes from the risen Christ.   Sure we are all individuals, with all the glories and fallibilities that involves, but if as Paul tells us we are all resurrected with Christ then surely that should be how we identify.

Anyway, right now I have to go and put on some suitable clothes, go to the bank and start getting my name changes sorted out.