"...A Rose by any other Name ... "

Today is one of those mornings, I wake up and am immensely thankful that the men in my life had the foresight to name me what I am now.

My geneology is not as long and illustrious as other families perhaps but the short family history starting in the 1900 with the birth of my great grandfather is enough to shape who I will be in time. I am a product of the beautiful marriage between a man who was a product of an inter-marriage, and a Javanese woman. My caucasian paternal grandfather met my Chinese grandmother in 1940s in a suburban town market in Sydney in the height of the 2nd World War.

Whilst the racial issues were not a determining factor for any marriages in my family, the issue of religious backgrounds were abound at family reunions. Most if not all my family members then, were Catholics as most Germans are. My father though born and bred a Catholic, was raised well by his parents and his grandparents to allow him to learn and live his own life. That same freedom earned, allowed my father to convert to Islam on his own accord. A few years later, he met my mother and the rest is history as they say.

On 10 March 1975, with my arrival in this lifetime, my grandfather and father named me. A beautiful name. Hebrew in origin. It means "rejoice", "joyful" and "gladdening".

It must be in their grand scheme of things to give a Muslim girl a Hebrew name.

I am proud to tell people this little trivia about myself. That I am a Muslim girl with a Hebrew name. Most were shocked. A few are pleasantly surprised. Me? I am thankful that I have a Hebrew name. I know that my grandfather and my father wanted me to be a living proof to others to show that even though I am a Muslim with a Hebrew name, I am still a human being who deserves a life no different from any others.

It's a constant reminder to others also that no religious or ethnic conflicts should ever make them forget that no matter their religion or racial backgrounds, they all deserve their lives. And peace. ~ Inspira