What’s in a Name?

The decision to publish Lightworker under my maiden name was not made lightly. Prior to publishing, I went back and forth multiple times.

As I was thinking it through, a line from Romeo and Juliet kept coming to mind:

“What’s in a name?”

It’s a simple question - but it points to something much deeper.

As I debated which name to use, the irony of the situation was just too good not to mention. Despite decades of suffering with a toxic belief that I didn’t matter, I was writing a book that was never meant to be about me. My name actually didn’t matter. The book was meant to deliver a profound message of hope, peace, and Love. Yes, Lightworker is a true story about my path from depression to peace, but it mirrors life experiences that many people struggle with. Being human is hard. We are constantly regulating heavy feelings while striving for a way out of the suffering. Constantly questioning, Who am I? Why are we here? What’s the point of it all? Why can’t I just be happy?

Even though I’m an untrained writer and a spiritual newbie, it seems that I was entrusted with a gift that could change (and possibly even save) people’s lives. This gift could not possibly have been meant for me alone.

So, the book had to be written, and I had to write it.

Throughout the process, I mentally referred to the manuscript as ‘the book’, not my book. I still feel that way, which is why I chose lightworkerbook.com as the name for a website that is more about the message and less about me.

But, when push came to shove, and I had to choose an Author Name on the KDP self-publishing page, I took a deep breath and waited. The answer came from my inner child, who simply said, “Let’s use my name.” So I published under Le Gallais.

Because of my shift, I understand that identity is fluid - roles and labels shift and change throughout our lives. Based on lived experience, I know that there is a very real danger in getting too attached to any of these identities. If we believe, for example, that we are an important doctor, a swoon-worthy actor, a professional swimmer, a thief or a beggar, we forget that there’s a deeper truth beneath the surface.

For me, part of healing was learning to loosen the grip on labels. To see myself not just through the lens of my past, my roles, or my struggles - but as a whole person, capable of change.

We all have the capacity to align with the Lightworker within, to choose light over darkness, no matter what life throws at us. Choosing to respond from a place of Love when faced with negative energy is incredibly difficult, but essential. The ability to “hold the light” is a daily (even hourly) choice that puts the work in Lightworker. 

Peace is possible - but it takes effort.  It takes action.  And it must start from within. 

We are all in this together. 

None of us is truly separate - we’re just tangled up in names.

D 🩵