What's in a name?

Mrs Johnstone. What does that tell you? She is married to Mr Johnstone. But who is Mrs Johnstone really? Is she Betty Bower? Is she an interesting women with interesting ideas? Or is she Mrs Johnstone?

I ask you, what's in a name? There are books, web sites, even wives tales about the meaning of names but what does it say about you when you wish to be called Mrs Johnstone for two thirds of your life.

My first name is Shirley which happens to be an old English surname so in reality I could be called Shirley and this would suffice - just like Madonna I guess! My sense of identity, if I was just Shirley compared to someone called Mrs Johnstone would have to rate higher on the happiness scale of self identification, surely?

I guess I am asking the question.

At 28 years of age I addressed myself as Mrs Shirley, as opposed to Miss or Ms, ticked the box for Mrs on all forms, including my credit card and suddenly I entered into a different world. Why? Was I a different person?

As far as I was concerned, no I was not a different person, only the title. There was not a Mr Shirley to be found under my bed, in the cabbage patch or on a marriage certificate. So why did peoples attitudes change.

Once again I guess I am asking the question