Utah

You were almost named Utah instead of Oliver. I liked the name as it harkens back to my rearing in Holladay, Utah on the steep slopes of Mt. Olympus where the scrub oak hillsides burn orange and coal red each autumn, then blanket white once wintry glaciers conquer. Utah. Utah Updyke. It looks good in print, in my opinion. The name would have been a nod to your dad and the now distant wide-open land from which I come, far away from the East, from this bustling Isle of Manhattan. I felt, perhaps, with such a name you would become a great storyteller, a spinner of webs, thrilling listeners as you followed in the footsteps of Utah Phillips. But others felt the name couldn’t be pulled off, that “Utah” and the double U.U. initials were just way too celebrity.

I still like Utah as a name, but I love the name we eventually chose for you as well. Oliver Updyke. Oliver. A Latin name (or possibly old Norse) meaning olive tree and signifying kindness, beauty, dignity and peace. The name brings to mind the olive branch, a symbol of peace which feels right during these difficult times where our country wars with others on so many fronts. We humans (men in particular) throw down our gloves too readily and war and destruction are all too common in this world where reason, respect, and compassion should rule. We appear to have the capacity to rise above ourselves to greatness, but we struggle and too often fail.

So, Oliver, you have a dignified name, a respectful name and I find myself wondering again what paths lay before you. Who can tell what you’ll become, whether fate lends a guiding hand or if free will rules the roost for you. At this early stage, all the world is at your doorstep and your mom and I will do our best to aid you and prepare you for your many great adventures ahead. There is great beauty in the world, too, and inevitably you will find your places, your moments where you feel your being rise and soar with a joy and awe so great you’ll feel you’re going to burst. I was soaring at your birth and even still last night as you lay with your head resting on my arm. There will certainly be hard times, too, but hopefully your mom and I can guide you as you grow, and teach you how to be open to embracing just how thrilling Being can be.

Love, Dad