Name - Revealed.

My name is Kinjal.

Growing up, I hated my name. Kids teased me by calling me "brinjal" (the Asian equivalent of eggplant) or "ginjal" (the Malay word for kidney). Adults mispronounced it, making a soft sounding name harsh and jarring. Even the story behind my name - how my parents chose it - was unconvincing to me. When my mother was pregnant with me, my father became enamored by the vitality of his friend's one-year old daughter. Her name was Kinjal, and he made a vow that if I were born as healthy as that little girl, it would also be my name. Coincidentally, astrologers who consulted the stars upon my birth according to Indian custom suggested my name start with a letter 'K', thereby leaving no doubt in my parents' mind that my name should be Kinjal.

At age twelve, I met a man learned in Sanskrit, which is the ancient language my name originated from. Looking at me with very kind eyes, he smiled and told me that my name means “that which bears the lotus." Following a pause to see if I was still paying attention, he continued, "that which bears the lotus, meaning the plant that takes root in mud to grow a stem through murky water so that it may bring forth the lotus blossom for the world to appreciate."

With my eyes closed, I tried to picture a lotus plant in a pond, while the man continued to unveil the significance of my name in a poetic verse. "Your name symbolizes the aspiration of mankind,” he explained. “It symbolizes the taking root and being borne in darkness (mud) only to reach towards the light with longing and practice (stem) so as to blossom (flower) with wisdom and compassion,” Seeing my confusion as my eyes opened, he laughed and asked me to keep those words in my mind and heart, and that one day it would make sense.

Over the years, I have encountered many forms of adversity. When I was young, I underwent several surgeries to correct a congenital defect that required me to use crutches for six months and caused me excruciating pain. I also grappled with grief when I lost one friend to cancer and another to suicide. I was often reprimanded for coming up with novel solutions or approaches to scientific problems instead of blindly following my teachers' preferred method of rote memorization. I also had to overcome my parents' desire for me to join the medical profession and instead pursue my interest in psychology and psychotherapy.

Regardless, I remain undaunted in the face of adversity. I use my name as a motto to always persevere for what is true to me. As I grow older, I try to approach life with more patience and compassion both towards myself and the people around me. There is never a better reminder of my core principles than when I introduce myself to others and say, "My name is Kinjal."