Marigold

“Marigold.”

I rolled my eyes, “You have got to be kidding me.”

Michael shrugged, “What? Everyone can call her Mary.”

I shook my head, “You want to name our child ‘Marigold?’”

He stepped forward, giving me that smile that he knew always warmed my heart. He took my hands in his, “Think about it. First, it’s the flower for the birth month of October, when she is due. Second, it’s symbolic of so many things – beauty and warmth, desire and wealth, but also despair and grief. It’s very complicated, like you! In many cultures it is a sacred offering to the gods and is part of many celebrations of the dead.”

I smirked. My eyes were lost in the wonder of Michael – he always did that to me. He had a wealth of unusual facts and information in his brain that he always just seemed to recall at all the right moments. His eyes smiled as he looked into mine, then he continued.

“And your mother, Mary, just passed away last year. Why not a name for our daughter that reminds you of her and her favorite flower? If Marigolds really were offerings to the departed, why not name her after the greatest woman we both ever knew?”

I sighed as I remembered seeing Michael spend time with my mother. They shared so many special times, moments I got to witness firsthand. I was so happy that Michael connected with my mother. Not only did he like her, but as he just admitted, she was the greatest woman he ever knew. That thought alone made me warm inside. I had to admit, naming our daughter after my mother was always something I had intended.

“I was thinking her middle name would be Mary,” I offered.

“Well, I like Marigold. You said we wanted a unique name, and I doubt there is anyone with that name around here.”

I smiled, “I know, that is true too. But Michael, please, humor me. You just gave me a bunch of reasons why the name Marigold is unique. But why do you want to name our daughter that? What specifically speaks to you about that name?”

He took a deep breath, but smiled and focused on my eyes, “Your mother was tending her garden one day – before we were married but right after you had introduced me. I remember helping her out as she told me the names of all the flowers she was growing. As much as I know you like all the random facts I seem to recall, I found it inspiring that your mother not only knew how to care for each and every flower and plant in her garden, but she knew all of their names. I was always bad with plant names, heck, biology was my toughest subject.”

I laughed, “It’s all memorization, and you know it. How could you NOT memorize a list of names but still master Chemistry and three languages?”

He shrugged, “You know me.”

I had to agree, I kissed him gently, “I know you and I love you, husband.”

He smiled, “You’re changing the subject.”

I nodded, “True… I think my distractions are how we ended up here in the first place.” I rubbed my now growing belly.

He laughed, “Well, that can wait. I was telling you about your mother and the name.”

“Sorry.”

He shrugged, “No worries. So, your mother was in the garden, and she was tending the Marigolds when I told her some of the history of the flower and its association with funerals. She corrected me, telling me that they were a symbol of prosperity. Marigolds represented gold, wealth, and fortune. She said the flowers ended up with a lot of negative connotations because they were indeed used in funerals, but it was not a bad thing at all. The flowers were used instead of actual gold.”

“You see, in ancient Egypt, among other cultures, people were buried with their actual riches. Gold was literally buried with the dead, leading to grave-robbers and many other things. But, as cultures evolved, those funeral traditions were replaced to prevent grave-robbing, loss of wealth for families, and so on. Instead, simpler gifts, like flowers, were used in funerals. The Marigold was chosen because it was golden in hue and represented riches and prosperity. Most people associate the Marigold with the funeral, giving the flower a negative connotation. But in reality, they are special, because you are sending flowers of value with the departed. They were chosen because they were considered the most valuable.”

I smiled, “So you see this name for her because she will not be what the world expects?”

“How can she not be? Her grandmother was the most amazing woman in the world. Her mother is nearly as incredible but carries her own magic and a love of life that is inspiring to me. How can your own daughter not be amazing? Of course, no one will expect her.”

I couldn’t reply. I was speechless just watching him have one of his moments of inspiration. I knew it in my heart, she deserved no other name.

But, he continued, “We wanted a unique name, Marigold is unique. We wanted a tribute to your mother, Mary, that can be her nickname. We wanted something symbolic, and the flower and the name are full of so many symbols, it’s crazy. It’s inspiring. It’s…”

I interrupted him, clenching his hands, “It’s perfect, Michael.”

I rubbed my hand on my belly, “What do you think Marigold? Do you like your name?”