Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis would have been 83 today.

It is no big secret that I was named after her. My parents were young, liberal, idealists still in school during Camelot.

I love that Jackie O is my namesake. Proudly, I have always carried a little part of her with me.

Since I was born in 1966, I only had the images, pictures and stories of a young president and his beautiful wife. My first memories of seeing her on TV were that of the cool, stylish, 70′s “Jackie O.”

I assure you, she left an indelible mark on the way I would dress, live and just be. When I was young, I honestly thought I owed it to her. Like I had to carry our name with special care. I wanted to make her proud in case I ran into her at party…on a yacht…in Greece. I was 8.

But, I wanted to be prepared, anyway.

I never got to meet her. It’s okay, though. I didn’t have to. I get to carry a little part of her with me everyday. And, I will always treat “Jacqueline Lee” with a little special care.

Happy Birthday, my dear Namesake.

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