I’m often told I’m good at remembering names.
It’s a conscious decision.
I want to know your name because I remember what it meant for somebody to know mine.
Years ago, a group of friends and I bought a one-month unlimited pass to try yoga. At our first class, the teacher asked whether we’d been before and if we needed to sign a waiver.
The following week, same day, same time, same teacher, she asked again.
And again the third week.
And again the fourth.
I didn’t think anything of it.
When the month ended, my friends decided yoga wasn’t for them.
But something intrigued me.
I found a studio closer to home, signed up for another month trial, and accidentally wandered into an intermediate / advanced class for my first one there. Oopsies
Watching people seemingly glide and fly into poses could have made me feel out of place. Instead, I was fascinated. And the teacher, Lisa Shilolo, made it all feel fun and approachable.
The next morning, I went back. I knew there was a class, but hadn’t checked the details.
The moment I walked in, Lisa smiled.
“Kate!! You came back!”
I was shocked. “How’d you know my name?”
“Because you were in my class yesterday,” she laughed.
She couldn’t have known how much that meant to me.
Because at the time, I was on a career path that didn’t light me up. I spent hours and hours alone in a lab, processing hundreds of images in a dark microscope room, running experiments behind a secure, locked door, or sitting at a vibratome making microscope slides.
I was alone.
I was lonely.
I was sad.
I was lost.
And suddenly, there was somewhere I could go where somebody might say my name out loud for the first time that day.
The studio became my community. I made friends.
I felt seen.
I was being revived.
I found myself again.
More importantly, I found my way back to my joy.
So when you offer me the chance to be part of your world, I want to know your name. I know how much that small gesture can hold.
Community is more than a platitude. It’s a lifeline.
And honestly? Seeing each person who walks through the door as a friend I haven’t met yet has enriched my life beyond anything I could have imagined.
So… will you tell me your name and be my friend? 🥹