When Maddie celebrated her Brit Bat, Mom and Dad each read her letters that they had written about her name.

Mom wrote…

‎Dear Madeleine,

You have already brought more love and light to our lives than we ever could have imagined.

My heart nearly bursts each time your face breaks into a smile.

Your name has much meaning. I’ve always loved ‘Madeleine’–it’s beautiful and delicate yet strong, just like you–even at this super young stage. You show us more every day who you are! Maybe I was influenced by the spunk of storybook ‘Madeline,’ and when I gave your dad the choice of spelling it ‘ine’ or ‘eine,’ he chose the French spelling–partly because Proust’s ‘Remembrance of Things Past’‎ is meaningful to him. But also, because you are a sweet, delicious confectionary delight–it’s true!!

Then we looked online at a naming site and read that with the ‘eine’ spelling.

“People with this name have a deep inner need for quiet, and a desire to understand and analyze the world they live in, and to learn the deeper truths. People with this name are excited by change, adventure, and excitement. They are dynamic, visionary and versatile, able to make constructive use of freedom. They fight being restricted by rules and conventions. They tend to be optimistic, energetic, intelligent, and to make friends easily. They may be changeable, restless, untidy, and rebellious.‎”

‎Well…ok. That’s a lot to live up to! And you already display many of these qualities. You are nothing if not rebellious during bathtime. You already display a fierce will and make your preferences very clear, little one!

Beryl was the Hebrew name of your ‎Dad’s dad, Bernard. He would have loved you so very much, and though we’re sorrowful that you weren’t able to meet him, we will tell you many stories so that you will know and honor him.

Cha is my maiden last name, and it means a lot to me as well. Cha is actually not a very common Korean name–apparently there are a lot of us in some small Korean village–and we’re a fierce tribe–so hopefully some of that strength will pass onto you. The good thing about ‘Cha’ is that, combined with my short first name, it meant mom was always first done when we had to fill out name bubble sheets for standardized tests!

Finally, Cutler is of course your last name. It’s our family name, and the name your Dad grew up with. It represents our family because 7 years ago, your Dad and Mom ‎met and 5 years ago, married and now, you–our most cherished blessing–have arrived!!

We love you beyond words. I know all parents have the same hopes and dreams for their children–health, happiness, love, fulfillment. And all those are true ‎of course. But beyond that, your Dad and I wish you the strength and confidence to grow into yourself, being exactly who you are. We can’t WAIT to see who that is, who you become. We will guide you the best we can, and shower you with unconditional love always. Looking at this community of people who will also love and support you, it’s hard to argue that we are beyond blessed.

We love you, Madeleine Beryl Cha Cutler.

Dad wrote…

Dearest Darling Madeleine,

Today you receive your Hebrew name, Beryl.

Translated, Beryl means precious, and for that reason alone it would be the perfect name for you.

But you are also named Beryl after your grandfather, Bernard Cutler, my father, whose Hebrew name was also Beryl.

Like you, your grandfather Bernie was a charmer. He was a man with a great zest for life, a great sense of humor and a sparkle in his eye. He was present, engaged and curious—qualities you have shown us since the very moment you were born.

Your Grandpa Bernie was also kind, loving and fiercely intelligent. He was a man of faith, who was generous to those he knew and those he knew only in that they would benefit from his generosity. He was devoted to his family, to his community, to his students and to his patients. He touched the lives of others humbly and deeply. He lived a rich, hearty life of 90 years, and when he passed away in 2013, people his family had never met came forward, as if out of the woodwork, to tell his wife and children stories of how Bernie had lent them a helping hand, a kind word, an understanding ear. And how they’d never forget him.

As we stand here today, before our beloved community of family and friends, on the same spot that your mother and I took our marriage vows nearly five years ago, we wish for you a life filled with love, laughter, celebration and triumph, wisdom and knowledge and the deepest connection to others. In short, we wish you the richness that blessed the life of that other Beryl, Grandpa Bernie.

We also wish to honor this day the memory of your Grand Uncle Abe, your Grandma Shirley’s brother, who passed away this week, just two months shy of his 98^th birthday. Abe was a fighter and a survivor, a man of deep political conviction, infectious humor and ferocious optimism. He was the sun around which many people’s lives took orbit. Throughout his life, Abe distinguished himself personally and profesionally with achievements too numerous to list. He was a great husband, a great dad, an awesome grandfather and the best uncle a guy like me could ever have hoped for. He seemed to live his life by two of his favorite aphorisms. The first was, “We start each day two drinks under par!” The second was, “Don’t let the bastards get you down!”

One of the many blessings of your young life is that you got to meet Grand Uncle Abe, to have him hold you in his arms, to gaze deeply into his eyes, when you were just eight weeks old. He was a good man and a great man and he loved you very much. May his spirit guide you throughout your life.