Today marks my first day back from vacation.  Today also is my birthday.  Tonight at 11:31pm  will mark 45 years since my mother gave birth to me.  She gave birth to my twin brother 5 minutes later.

My brother received the name that was after our grandfathers – John Albert.  John was our paternal grandfather’s middle name and Albert was our maternal grandfather’s first name.  I was given the name James because of James and John, the brothers who were disciples of Jesus.  My middle name, Herbert, was after the doctor who delivered us; he was our family doctor for many years.

My middle name was an easy target for ridicule and insults up through middle school.  It is not uncommon for peers in school to do this.  I did not like my given middle name, that is, until I was given a different perspective about it which happened after…