The POWER of a Name

I think I've found this year's Miss Personality! I have a new referral, a second grade girl with style galore, lots of charm, and a real way with words. During our initial conversation this week, she was telling me about her friends. She mentioned classroom and neighborhood peers and then thought back to last school year. It was easy for her to remember the first name of this particular friend, but she couldn't quite put her finger on the last name. With furrowed brow, she looked down and tapped her forehead with her index finger, deep in concentration. "Her last name was something like a lightning bolt," my friend said, and she drew a vertical zig-zag in the air. Since she couldn't solve the puzzle right then and there, we moved on, discussing school, teacher, homework, and family. About 15 minutes later, my visitor blurted excitedly, "Shock! It was Shock!" And she clapped her hands with glee. Of course I could understand how the connections in her mind had worked to figure out that elusive last name, as a lightning bolt could indeed deliver a mighty shock. Stay tuned, as I'm sure I'll have lots more snippets to write about this little character!