Mi Nombre

 Mi Nombre

By, Neftaly Serrano

Neftaly is my name.

Mi nombre.

It is originally spelled as “Neftali”.

Mi nombre.

I am a woman of Hispanic descent, and my name may be for boys,

But I do not care. Neftaly is my name. It means struggling, which makes sense. My name is exactly who I am and what I appear to be in one single word.

Neftali means struggle.

Struggle wanders around my mind. Why am I named struggle?

Mi nombre.

My parents named me this because it was different. Or did they know I was going to grow up with many struggles?

I, Neftaly, struggle.

I struggle trying to get my words out.

I struggle to be happy.

I struggle every day trying to be great,

But feel worthless.

Mi nombre.

I feel in my heart my name is a reminder to help me get through each struggle, each day.

I struggle to be completely bilingual like mi familia.

I hope one day I will be like them.

I know I will. The denotation of mi nombre.

Mi nombre.

The struggle in my name is what keeps me going.

I, Neftaly, know I’m going to do big things.

Struggle is what moves me, proves to me I am worth something.

Struggle is my name.

Struggle is my worth.

Mi nombre, Neftaly.