Introducing myself is sometimes a struggle. In fact in fitting rooms, or at restaurants, when they ask for my name, I say my mother's name, "Mary." Because it's a whole lot less complicated.
"I'm Averill"
"April?"
"Arielle?"
"Avril? Ooo! like Avril Lavigne?" (people always think they're very clever with that one)
"Ariel?"
A few times I've gotten, "Arwall?"
"Averill. Like the month, April, but with a 'V'"
"Oh!" Eventually, when they get it, I will often hear "well, that's a pretty name."
I think so too. It's worth struggling through countless spellings and mispronunciations because I love my name.
But I don't love it for it's phonetic appeal. I love the legacy it represents. I really cannot begin to do it justice, but here's my small attempt:
Averill is my mother's maiden name, and there is not a group of people in this world cooler than the Averill clan. Truly the most sophisticated bunch of people you'll ever meet. Between my grandparents and their direct children they collectively have over 50 years of higher education. Princeton, Harvard, Yale, BU, Tufts, Columbia among them. (this isn't including any of my cousins--all of whom are also incredible). They're the top of their fields, in all their various fields. Art, medicine, business, history. But with all of that education, they are also so humble and easy to be around.
I'm convinced nothing in this world is more fun than sitting around a table with the Averills doing a crossword puzzle collectively. They know every author and every title and every character of every obscure novel; every battle in every war in every time period around the world; every river and every capital and every political leader or movement in every country; every opera and every shakespeare plot. Truly one of my proudest moments in life was contributing one word to the puzzle being crushed by Averills.
When they're not discussing the latest political, economic, cultural, medical, historical information, they are laughing. Whether over charades, cribbage, card games, or conversation, a night never passes without rolling laughter.
"We use our phones to transfer information; we speak into a screen which transfers our words into text; then the person on the other end presses a button to have that text read out loud by a computer--tell me why the system has changed? Why don't we just call each other?"
"You looked like you had a deep thought"
"I might have. They come and go so quickly."
"So what the heck am I doing standing in this dark closet?"
"I enjoyed seeing my eggplant" (in reference to a painting)
"Well, that was a non-sequitor..."
laughter. (that might be a had-to-be-there moment. but I am sure glad I was there)
Trying to get back to my cousin's house after a walk, three sisters were discussing their methods of finding their way back in general.
Ginny: "I look for familiar landmarks..."
Leigh: "I try and go back exactly the way I came..."
Mary: "I picture a string going back on the road..."
everyone looked at me, curious how I find my way back if I'm lost
I said sheepishly... "I just... use my phone..." Laughter.
At my brother's wedding, there was a reunion in Salt Lake. We wanted to surprise my aunt Libby with a party celebrating her newly acquired doctorate degree. All the Averills shuffled into two elevators heading upstairs to the 23rd floor (where Libby was), my Aunt Ginny called out for a race. Someone in my elevator accidentally pressed up against the button panel, and lit a few extra floors on the way. We groaned and chuckled about how the other elevator is going to beat us. Our doors opened on the 14th floor, and just as they were closing, the other elevator full of Averills opened--they had done the same thing! We reached the 23rd floor at the same time, and all spilled out of the elevators in a fit of laughter.
They're not like normal siblings, fighting over the remote control. They fight over who gets to read the latest biography, or history about the beginning of WWI, for example. "I'm sorry, Len. Mary called it. You can't have it until she's done"
"I've got a new book for you"
"I've already read it. Leigh got to me first!"
"Oh no!"
"She gave me a great one the other day---Laurence in Arabia"
"Wait! I gave that to HER! She stole my recommendation!"
This past weekend I had the pleasure of a small Averill family reunion. I went to visit my grandmother, Louise Averill, who is no longer in perfect health and now unfortunately struggles with her memory. She's lived in Pennsylvania, and I've lived in the west, so we haven't had a lot of time to be together lately. But this weekend it was so lovely to spend some time with her. She's a spunky 94-year-old woman. Try to get her to eat her dinner, and she'll poke her fork at you, or slowly try to pawn off pieces of her meal to her neighbors' plates. But she needs no help or convincing whatsoever to finish every last bite of chocolate ice cream.
"Grammy, I must have got my sweet tooth from you!"
"oh, you like chocolate?"
"Oh yes!"
"Yup! that's definitely from me!"
I also get my love of making funny faces from her, apparently. We had a lively conversation with our scrunched noses across the dinner table.
When I saw her first, she asked me who I was at least three times over the space of ten minutes.
"I'm your granddaughter, Mary's daughter, Averill"
Every time it was really fun to see her light up with recognition, "Averill?"
"Ya! That's right! I'm named after you!"
...Once she said, "Well aren't you pretty!"
"Thanks, Grammy. You know, I take after YOU. You're the one who started being pretty!"
"Oh, I may be pretty on the outside, but on the inside I'm sinister. Watch out!"
I thought, "I must have gotten that from you too!" :)
A sophisticated lady (like all the Averill women) she wouldn't leave her apartment without her earrings and her nose powdered. As she was getting ready, I saw some old pictures of her wedding, "Grammy, how did you meet your husband?"
My mom started in with the story, "You remember, mom. You were serving tea to a group of army officers, and you saw a very handsome officer, right? He was so handsome, you dropped the tea! you fell in love right then!"
"I didn't fall in love... I collapsed in love!"
Lenny joined in, "My father, in his old age, couldn't find words in English; but he could speak Greek and Latin, and he beat us all at cards every time."
We went downstairs and found a piano so I could give her a little concert. I played and sang a few broadway show tunes to a very small audience (Grammy, my mom, and my uncle). But it felt like the most important audience I'd ever sung for; I think I've never sung with more heart. All of my cousins are intimidatingly impressive (much like their parents); and while I'll never compete with them in Ivy league educations (or just general awesomeness), I was so happy to contribute to the family what I could. This little moment of music. A little piece of me felt like all my training and experience had been for this time, this moment; to share with my family, my grandmother.
Someone heard my playing from another room and walked in to listen. He asked who I was. My Grammy answered, "That is my granddaughter. Isn't she wonderful?" She went from not recognizing me/remembering me at all to being very proud to introduce me as hers. (Contributing to the crossword puzzle as a close second) it was one of the greatest moments of my life.
For three lovely days I got to re-meet my grandmother. She is so full of love and life, even in her frail physical state. I'm not sure I'll get another chance to see her in this lifetime but I am so grateful for the little time I got to spend with her at all. And grateful for the influence she's had on her incredible family.
As we were talking about her other children and grandchildren, she exclaimed "I'm beginning to think I produced very well!" My mother replied, "Ya, you did, mom."
Her legacy is one I am extremely honored to be counted among.
To all the Averills: thank you for your examples, your support, your friendship, and your love.
Love to all the Averills,
Averill.
"I'm Averill"
"April?"
"Arielle?"
"Avril? Ooo! like Avril Lavigne?" (people always think they're very clever with that one)
"Ariel?"
A few times I've gotten, "Arwall?"
"Averill. Like the month, April, but with a 'V'"
"Oh!" Eventually, when they get it, I will often hear "well, that's a pretty name."
I think so too. It's worth struggling through countless spellings and mispronunciations because I love my name.
But I don't love it for it's phonetic appeal. I love the legacy it represents. I really cannot begin to do it justice, but here's my small attempt:
Averill is my mother's maiden name, and there is not a group of people in this world cooler than the Averill clan. Truly the most sophisticated bunch of people you'll ever meet. Between my grandparents and their direct children they collectively have over 50 years of higher education. Princeton, Harvard, Yale, BU, Tufts, Columbia among them. (this isn't including any of my cousins--all of whom are also incredible). They're the top of their fields, in all their various fields. Art, medicine, business, history. But with all of that education, they are also so humble and easy to be around.
I'm convinced nothing in this world is more fun than sitting around a table with the Averills doing a crossword puzzle collectively. They know every author and every title and every character of every obscure novel; every battle in every war in every time period around the world; every river and every capital and every political leader or movement in every country; every opera and every shakespeare plot. Truly one of my proudest moments in life was contributing one word to the puzzle being crushed by Averills.
When they're not discussing the latest political, economic, cultural, medical, historical information, they are laughing. Whether over charades, cribbage, card games, or conversation, a night never passes without rolling laughter.
"We use our phones to transfer information; we speak into a screen which transfers our words into text; then the person on the other end presses a button to have that text read out loud by a computer--tell me why the system has changed? Why don't we just call each other?"
"You looked like you had a deep thought"
"I might have. They come and go so quickly."
"So what the heck am I doing standing in this dark closet?"
"I enjoyed seeing my eggplant" (in reference to a painting)
"Well, that was a non-sequitor..."
laughter. (that might be a had-to-be-there moment. but I am sure glad I was there)
Trying to get back to my cousin's house after a walk, three sisters were discussing their methods of finding their way back in general.
Ginny: "I look for familiar landmarks..."
Leigh: "I try and go back exactly the way I came..."
Mary: "I picture a string going back on the road..."
everyone looked at me, curious how I find my way back if I'm lost
I said sheepishly... "I just... use my phone..." Laughter.
At my brother's wedding, there was a reunion in Salt Lake. We wanted to surprise my aunt Libby with a party celebrating her newly acquired doctorate degree. All the Averills shuffled into two elevators heading upstairs to the 23rd floor (where Libby was), my Aunt Ginny called out for a race. Someone in my elevator accidentally pressed up against the button panel, and lit a few extra floors on the way. We groaned and chuckled about how the other elevator is going to beat us. Our doors opened on the 14th floor, and just as they were closing, the other elevator full of Averills opened--they had done the same thing! We reached the 23rd floor at the same time, and all spilled out of the elevators in a fit of laughter.
They're not like normal siblings, fighting over the remote control. They fight over who gets to read the latest biography, or history about the beginning of WWI, for example. "I'm sorry, Len. Mary called it. You can't have it until she's done"
"I've got a new book for you"
"I've already read it. Leigh got to me first!"
"Oh no!"
"She gave me a great one the other day---Laurence in Arabia"
"Wait! I gave that to HER! She stole my recommendation!"
This past weekend I had the pleasure of a small Averill family reunion. I went to visit my grandmother, Louise Averill, who is no longer in perfect health and now unfortunately struggles with her memory. She's lived in Pennsylvania, and I've lived in the west, so we haven't had a lot of time to be together lately. But this weekend it was so lovely to spend some time with her. She's a spunky 94-year-old woman. Try to get her to eat her dinner, and she'll poke her fork at you, or slowly try to pawn off pieces of her meal to her neighbors' plates. But she needs no help or convincing whatsoever to finish every last bite of chocolate ice cream.
"Grammy, I must have got my sweet tooth from you!"
 |
| took a very long time to understand that we were taking a picture. worth it. |
"Oh yes!"
"Yup! that's definitely from me!"
I also get my love of making funny faces from her, apparently. We had a lively conversation with our scrunched noses across the dinner table.
When I saw her first, she asked me who I was at least three times over the space of ten minutes.
"I'm your granddaughter, Mary's daughter, Averill"
Every time it was really fun to see her light up with recognition, "Averill?"
"Ya! That's right! I'm named after you!"
...Once she said, "Well aren't you pretty!"
"Thanks, Grammy. You know, I take after YOU. You're the one who started being pretty!"
"Oh, I may be pretty on the outside, but on the inside I'm sinister. Watch out!"
I thought, "I must have gotten that from you too!" :)
 |
| Three generations |
My mom started in with the story, "You remember, mom. You were serving tea to a group of army officers, and you saw a very handsome officer, right? He was so handsome, you dropped the tea! you fell in love right then!"
"I didn't fall in love... I collapsed in love!"
Lenny joined in, "My father, in his old age, couldn't find words in English; but he could speak Greek and Latin, and he beat us all at cards every time."
We went downstairs and found a piano so I could give her a little concert. I played and sang a few broadway show tunes to a very small audience (Grammy, my mom, and my uncle). But it felt like the most important audience I'd ever sung for; I think I've never sung with more heart. All of my cousins are intimidatingly impressive (much like their parents); and while I'll never compete with them in Ivy league educations (or just general awesomeness), I was so happy to contribute to the family what I could. This little moment of music. A little piece of me felt like all my training and experience had been for this time, this moment; to share with my family, my grandmother.
 |
| My Uncle Lenny convinced me to relocate these balloons from the lobby. She loved them. |
For three lovely days I got to re-meet my grandmother. She is so full of love and life, even in her frail physical state. I'm not sure I'll get another chance to see her in this lifetime but I am so grateful for the little time I got to spend with her at all. And grateful for the influence she's had on her incredible family.
As we were talking about her other children and grandchildren, she exclaimed "I'm beginning to think I produced very well!" My mother replied, "Ya, you did, mom."
Her legacy is one I am extremely honored to be counted among.
To all the Averills: thank you for your examples, your support, your friendship, and your love.
Love to all the Averills,
Averill.
 |
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