Isabela, it means “My God is bountiful;God of plenty” Bountiful: liberal or generous in bestowing gifts or favors. I think this is funny, for im not quite sure how that is suppose to define someone whose name is Isabela. Can a name… a person be truly defined by 7 words? I have asked myself this question many times, however, I never seem to come up with an answer. Every Isabela is different, yet we can be clumped in a 7 word definition. To me each and every Isabela should be able to come up with their own meaning for their name. 

To me, Isabela is a stone castle, not easily broken, yet nothing can take away from its originality, its beauty. You’re walking in the woods, its dark, when all the sudden you come across one single yellow flower followed by a beautiful castle in the background. You walk into the castle, you are greeted by the queen of the land Isabela. Isabela is the queen because she has known heartbreak, failure, sadness, but she has also known love, friendship, and happiness, just like the citizens of her land. Every rock meant to damage her castle never succeeds in doing so, but makes it stronger, makes it richer in history. Isabela is a walk in the woods. Isabela is the hidden stone castle in the background. Isabela is a yellow flower in a sea of pinks. 

I have also known the hardships of life, but I come back a stronger person for it. A yellow flower. They are the color of the sun, the light. Yellow gives me a sense of peace, a sense of freedom to be the best version of myself, the best version of Isabela. 

With such a long name comes nicknames such as Bela and Izzy. My dad always wanted to call me Izzy, but I never liked it. To me Izzy was too blunt, too harsh for such a name as Isabela. Izzy was like the rock being thrown at the castle to break it. Bela was the wall behind the broken stone. The picture of strength to show the castle is not so easily broken. This is why I call myself Bela. It brings justice to such a long name as Isabela. It shows my strengths. It shows my true version of Isabela. 

I have never had any doubts that I was meant for my name. I love how my parents decided to stay true to the Spanish culture and only have one L in my name. I would never change it. It separates me from the endless sea of pink flowers all over the world. It makes such a common stone castle its own version, it turns a common name  unique.