[DAY 82 OF THE DEEP END PROJECT]
“What Unites People? Armies? Gold? Flags? Stories.
There’s nothing in the world more powerful than a good story. Nothing can stop it. No enemy can defeat it”
Tyrion Lannister said these famous words in the infamous finale of Game Of Thrones.
Stories are powerful, funny things, aren’t they?
Not only do they unite us, they also define us.
The Story behind my name is such.
It has defined who I am. It’s a simple story but there is so much power in it.
On my podcast with Tarzan Kay, we were talking about how she re-named herself, which I thought is a badass story in itself.
Then I shared my naming story (don’t worry, I’ll get to it in a minute) and she was like “what, that is so cool! I want that story to be mine!”
And that’s the thing about stories. I found power and inspiration in her story and she found it in mine.
So here’s how at the age of 3 years, I decided my name would be Deepshikha.
Before then I was called Mini at home. In fact, everyone at my home still calls me Mini, including my husband and his family.
Mini was the lazy nickname my parents chose. I was the youngest in the family and someone decided to call me by that name.
It stuck and I guess my parents forgot to officially name me!
Second Child Syndrome perhaps? Or maybe it was meant to be…..
When it was time for me to go to preschool, my mom and I walked down the block to meet the principal and fill out forms.
It’s very strange how vivid my memory of that day is. I remember some parts very clearly, like what happened next and some have been etched into my memory by the re-telling of the story.
I know one thing for sure though, that moment was very significant in my life.
At the school, where I’d learn to read & write and meet my first boyfriend, the principal pulled out some forms and started filling them.
She turned to my mom and asked what name she should fill in.
My mom had probably not thought this part through. She said “We call her Mini at home, but we haven’t decided on an official name yet. That’s not the name we want on the form though……”
This is the part I remember clearly. I looked at my mom and then the principal and I said
“My name is Deepshikha”
I can imagine both were stunned but the principal smiled at me and said “I guess that’s what we’ll all be calling her then” and she wrote it on the form.
To this date I do not remember how I thought of the name. It wasn’t a very common name until a few years ago. I don’t know many Deepshikha’s in the world and I certainly won’t find a key chain by my name at the gas station any time soon.
However, I do know that this was the name I was meant to have.
Deepshikha means Flame.
And hello? Have you met me, Mother Of Dragons?
But jokes apart, it just makes sense.
I am a Manifestor. Manifestors are Trailblazers
My Astrology literally has fire as one of the elements. “Purification by fire” aka burning away to reveal the deepest truth is one of my soul mission according to my chart.
Coincidence much?
Well, even if I don’t read too much into it I am always fascinated by how people are fascinated when I tell them this story.
It has led to such interesting conversations.
That’s the power of a good story, isn’t it?
I’d love to know what your name means? Is there a story behind it?