By Demetrius Moffett

 

One of the proudest moments of a father’s life is to have a son. A chip of the block.

This is not to say that fathers are not excited or proud about having daughter’s.

There’s something special to a father to see the one who shall carry on the family name. I can remember my father and grandfather telling me, “Your first name belongs to you, as long as I live, your last name belongs to me, thereby don’t mess it up.”

As I reflect on these conversations I can remember seeing the joy in the eyes of my father and grandfather as they looked to instill in me the qualities that will continue to bring the family name honor.

When I came home my first freshman day of high school, my dad remained me again about the value of the name I was carrying. He also informed me that he does not take care of grown people.

Over the next four years of high school the community knew who I was. They didn’t call me by my given name. I was known as “Big Earl’s boy.” There were people who I had never seen before that would greet me, “Big Earl’s boy, how are you doing?” The reality of the weight of this name that I was carrying began to get heavy. The family name has become respected in a community of over 300 thousand people on the east and west side of Detroit Michigan.

The day I graduated from high school, my dad told me how proud he was and that I had two weeks to find me a place to live, “I don’t take care of grow people. Oh, you still carry my name don’t mess it up.”

As a father of daughters, granddaughters and niece, the family name will more than likely end with me.

However, the legacy and value of the family name will never die.

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.”

Gentlemen, how much is your family name worth? Are we raising children that are conscience of the value of the family name? When your family name is spoken, what adjectives are attached to it? It takes a couple of minutes to start the conception of someone to carry your name, it takes a life time to cultivate the value and legacy of that name.

Family name, don’t sell it cheap.