The Magic of Naming
Chapter 18
How words give us power
I have always believed that naming something gives it power.
Not the kind of power that controls us—the kind that sets us free. Because when you name something, it becomes real. It stops being a shadow. It stops being a feeling you cannot explain. It becomes something you can see, understand, and finally, fight.
In the old stories, names are magic. In Rumpelstiltskin, knowing the name destroys the power. In Harry Potter, saying Voldemort’s name makes him less terrifying—because fear shrinks when we refuse to whisper.
Names are not just words. They are keys.
The Names I Did Not Know
I grew up without the names for what was happening to me.
I knew I was afraid. I knew I was confused. I knew I felt small, broken, and wrong. But I did not have the words to explain why.
I did not know the word gaslighting. I did not know narcissist. I did not know bipolar or domestic violence or human trafficking.
I just knew I was drowning.
Now, I watch young girls grow up knowing these words. They learn them in school. They see them on TikTok. They talk about them with their friends. They name what is happening to them.
And because they can name it, they can escape it.
I did not have that. And that is painful to sit with.
What Could Have Been Different
If I had known the words ten years ago—before the divorce, before the abuse, before I lost myself—what would have been different?
Would I have left sooner?
Would I have trusted myself?
Would I have understood that I was not broken—I was being broken?
I cannot know for certain. But I know that naming something gives you the ability to see it clearly. And when you see it clearly, you can choose.
Without the name, I stayed in the fog.
The Pain of Knowing Too Late
It hurts to know now what could have saved me then.
It hurts to realize that I was not crazy—I was being manipulated.
It hurts to realize that I was not weak—I was surviving.
It hurts to realize that I was not alone—I just did not have the words to find my people.
But I am learning to hold that pain differently.
Because I may not have had the words then. But I have them now. And I am not keeping them to myself.
What I Want You to Know
If you are reading this and you are just learning the names for what you have been through—please know: it is not too late.
You are not behind. You are not broken. You are just beginning to see clearly.
And now that you have the names, you have the power.
You can name the gaslighting. You can name the manipulation. You can name the abuse.
And once you name it, you can leave it behind.
The Magic Continues
Naming is not just about the past. It is about the future.
Every time I name something—every time I write a story, label a jar, or speak a truth—I am giving power to something good. I am building a world where people have the words they need to survive.
That is why I write. That is why I build. That is why I will not stop.
Because I know the magic of naming.
And I am going to use it to set us all free.
To Be Continued…
There is so much more to say about this. About the names we are still learning. About the power of finding the right word. About the world I am building where a name is not a weapon—it is a key.
But for now, I will leave you with this:
What have you named today? What have you seen clearly for the first time?
And what are you ready to let go of, now that you know its name?
With love and the power of words,
Merida Paz
The Purple Witch, under The Purple Cape
💜🧹🔑📖🦄🐉
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