Eileen Loveman Daily Posting

I am the oldest of six.  The somewhat pressured place of alignment in any family is that of the first-born.  The first-born is the one Mom and Dad practice with.  The kid that usually gets nothing or everything because they are not sure where the boundaries are at that point.

They subsequently learn with the succession of siblings after that.  But for the time being, Number One is it.  Parenting then becomes a process of honing and retooling.

My father made the unfortunate mistake of numbering his kids.  From number one to the end, we all had a numeral attached to our moniker.

I was Number One way before Captain Picard starting ordering Will to make it so.

As they became more enlightened, my parents realized it wasn't too healthy to be calling their daughters by numbers, so they put their heads together to see if they could be more sensitive in their attempts to identifying us. 

So he decided to change the numbering system to that of what he felt was our most dominant traits.

To one sister, he labeled the "Smart" One.  Another was the "Big" One, because she stood head and shoulders above us.  My brother, the only boy, was aptly called the "Prince", a title he proudly wears to this day.  The shortest sister was called the "Pretty" One, because she was so small and dainty.   

As we grew older, we realized that we all shared the same traits as the other (except for the Prince, that is) and every now and then would challenge my dad on the titles he bestowed on us.   It was a household full of loud, staunchly independent voices, a room full of arms and legs and attitudes.  Although it was probably hell for my mother, when I look back I realize it was the one of the best parts of my life. 

And although we grew to adulthood no worse for wear with our respective labels, we realize that he truly knew what he was doing when he crowned us.

For I will forever be what he called me.  The title has made me what I am today;  able to handle anything and anyone, I am fearless and uninhibited when making my way in the world.   I don't care who knows it, and I wear it proudly like a prizefighter in the ring. 

I will forever be who he said I was.

The “Silly” One.