Meant To Be...

This Movie is how I received my Birth name.

Hatari!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hatari!
original movie poster by Frank McCarthy
Directed by	Howard Hawks
Produced by	Howard Hawks Paul Helmick
Written by	Harry Kurnitz Leigh Brackett
Starring	John Wayne Elsa Martinelli Hardy Krüger Red Buttons
Music by	Henry Mancini
Cinematography	Russell Harlan
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	October 6, 1962
Running time	157 min

Hatari! is a 1962 American film directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne. The title means "danger" in Swahili, which was mentioned in the film as well. Portraying a group of hunters, the film presents an interesting if antiquated portrait of Africa still dominated by non-Africans. The film is extremely popular because of the dramatic wildlife chases and the magnificent backdrop scenery of Mount Meru, a dormant volcano.
Hatari! was filmed on location in Tanganyika, (in what is now northern Tanzania). Many scenes were filmed near Arusha, Tanzania on a hunting ranch, Ngongongare Farm, owned from 1960 by actor Hardy Krüger. The final chase through town was filmed in Nairobi, Kenya.
The film gathers its several characters from different parts of the world: Sean Mercer (John Wayne), Pockets (Red Buttons), Anna Maria 'Dallas' D'Allesandro (Elsa Martinelli), Kurt Müller (Hardy Krüger), Brandy De la Court (Michele Girardon), Charles 'Chips' Maurey (Gerard Blain), Luis Francisco Garcia Lopez (Valentin De Vargas) are, respectively, from USA, USA, Italy, Germany, France, France and Mexico.




I was inspired by another blog to discuss how it is I have the name Brandi.
The blog that inspired me has such an elegant story. 
 Simone,
http://theromanticqueryletter.blogspot.com/

Me , not so elegant!!
It is kind of Funny, My parents went to see this film in 1962 and my Mother loved the name Brandy from a charachter in the movie. She was a an attractive woman , and my Mom really seemed to like her.
I have seen the movie and it was ok, but I was not drawn to it for an on-chore?
I was born in 1963, August and clearly the movie stuck with my Mom. She changed the spelling , but kept her decision to name me Brandi.

As a small child in 1st grade, I can recall the mean kid in the class taunting me calling me Whiskey and Scotch. I did not like the teasing or the demeaning comments attached to my name. Children can be so cruel can't they? And what 6 year old knows all the alcoholic beverages??? Anyway,
After first grade my parents decided to move to Southern California from the Bay area, so I inquired of my Mother to please allow me to go by my middle name Ann at my new school. She was agreeable and hence , I was known by Ann all through elementary and middle school. Thats me with the bow in my hair, celebrating my birthday 6th birthday! I did not like short hair.

It was strange to be called Ann at school and Brandi at home.
By the time I had reached High School I had decided to go by my given name and reclaim myself.

I felt very powerful inside by making the decision to use my name correctly and fully. It was a turning point for me and I really needed that sense of identity. It was a long time for kids to get use to me going by my first name and not "Ann."After a while I really disliked hearing my middle name used.

I was just in my early thirties when I had the awakening as to why I had those struggles as most of us do in our teen years. I realized that when my Mother allowed me to change my name and go by my middle name, she was giving me permission to hide from myself and others as to who I was.My given name was not something to change, or be ashamed of. I clearly at the age of 6 did not want to be associated with alcohol or anything negative! who would? but I never told my Mom why and she didn't really mind either. When I told her later on of my experience of figuring out why I had my issues, I asked her why she let me change who I was? She said in that era, nicknames were popular and people often went by names other than their Given names, you  remember, Buffy, Bing, Red, all 50's slang.She never thought it was an issue of concern.I understood, I wasn't looking to blame her, I was looking for enlightenment and understanding.

I came to realize at that time in my early thirties that because I had been allowed to change my name, I was given permission to be less than I was, I had been hiding out since I was 6?. This was huge for me!! I know that my life would of been different had my parents told me to be proud of my name and of who I was!! So interesting how something that seemed of such little consequence created dramatic results.

My teenage years were pretty typical for a teenager who had parents struggling to keep a marriage together, the pressures of the unhappy home life certainly motivated me to socializing with my friends and probably not the best choice of friends either. My Mother was active in our Faith but I wavered and decided I wasn't interested in going to church either, how could I be good enough to be around these girls in church when I wasn't even able to own my own name?.These decisions of mine were all stemmed from not knowing who I really was.I was lost and it would be a 18 years from that 6 year old moment of decision before I would find my way home.

At the age of 24 and fully owning who I was in name and Spirit, I knew I had been missing so much in my life. I was a Hair Designer and living on my own ,really wanting and needing more. I decided I wanted to have a family and  raise my children in the Faith that I was raised in. It was an excellent environment and I wanted good values for my children, so I needed to change the fast paced life I was living. I made the decision to end a bad relationship I was in and move home to live with my Brother for a while.I knew my way of living was not bringing me happiness and I wanted to see if God would be interested in taking me back? I had been on my own to long, but would he want me?I had to find out , I went back to church on my own and made promises to God and myself that I was "all in" and that if he could make me happy, I would serve him forever!!.

I quit any and all bad habits immediately and I have never looked back! This was in the early part of  March 1988. I met my husband on a blind date the following month through a mutual friend at church.
We dated and were engaged in September of 1988 and we were married the following February 1989.We were married n the LDS Temple in Los Angeles, it truly is Happily ever after...

My husband had never been "part of the crowd" when it came to bad habits, not that he didn't make mistakes, but he had a strong sense of who he was and so he never smoked, drank or did any drug of any kind.
I asked him how it was that he never got caught up in those wrong choices as a teen? He said he just didn't? I still had continued to struggle with why I had been off track with my choices?

And, so on that quiet morning when I had been on my morning walk, the light came on in my mind ,spinning back to the decisions I had been allowed to make in regards to changing my name. It had impacted my spirit and belief system, that I needed to be something different than who I was to be accepted. I spent that day with my Mom in tears of sadness for that little 6 year old who was looking for relief and a safe harbor from ridicule and tears of Joy for the relief and gift of enlightenment , to see the path clearly and understand the answers and reasons for my altered journey.

I don't regret my journey, it makes me who I am today. It has made me a stronger, more insightful Mother. I can tell you that I chose names for my children that had very little options for taunting at school. Lets face it school is a jungle as it is!Some things never change!

This experience has  also motivated me and challenged me to seek out opportunities for conversation and communication with my children.
I am so grateful for my Mother in my Life, she has stood by me and loved me unconditionally all my life.Mom has lived with us since 1996 on my Husbands invitation, we have enjoyed the company of Nana. My kids have grown up knowing Nana as a part of their Family life and it has been special for us all.

The sweetest part for me has been sharing our spiritual relationship.My Mom was also raised in the church and so I know her prayers for me were answered as I found light to my life and a desire for happiness.
Being a Daughter of God and knowing who I am was just " Meant to Be"

Aloha