To me, a name is one meaningful word or words given by our parent or relative to define us all as a person for every single day. When I woke up from my bed soft as a cloud, the first word I would hear before anyone starts the sentence it is always my name. When I shared my story or met new people in my life I’ve never forgotten to introduce my name first. For all these days after I was named in a young age, I would hear this sweetest word the most.
I hold dear for my precious name.
My name is Bopha which means flower in Khmer language. Tons of the type of flowers bloom and fade just as my mood or luck that changes. The smell and shade of color in each flower show me there is always potential in me but not everyone could see it. Even some people hurt me by cutting the root of flower but none of them can cut spring from coming to let me have the chance to shine again. Another meaning can be the metaphor of the word beautiful or good ladies.
Despite all of the deep meaning hidden inside, not everything about my first name is perfect. Most of the foreigner always pronounce my name wrong which made me kind of sad for telling people your name and they can forget it easily. Sometimes I laugh a little bit not to make myself too negative when they say it. With all of the effort to control my emotion, I am now getting used to it. One funny moment sometimes I felt like watching comedy is when I listen to Khmer song. Some of those songs contain my name represent beautiful lady that makes it seems like I am the main lady in the songs.
I love my name as the most adorable treasure I own. Unfortunately, I love my middle name more. “I did ask u when you were young and you choose Bopha over Morokot. I was afraid that you don’t like the name and I wait for you to grow but your name right now is just what you choose ” My mom would say whenever I said I kind of want to change my first name to my middle name instead. My middle name means a green gem which can bring light to all the darkness around it. It is rare and unique in its own way. The value and green light added the taste of delightful path for me. It shows me that before I can shine to be bright as that type of gem I needed to put thousand of effort and processes. My grandparent chose the name for me. My grandfather wanted my name to be “Bopha” while my grandmother wanted my name to be “Morokot”. My mother didn’t put it in my birth certificate until I was one and a half.
After I grew up and become teenage I think that I am very attached to my name. Even though, when I compare my middle name and my first name people usually say that my Morokot middle name is better but I would still prefer to be a flower that pushes through dirt to be a positive and delightful person. My heart, my personality, my life is already attached to my name for a long way with so many great memories I could remember. Now, I don’t want to change my name anymore but I would still prefer to have the long name with my gemstone middle name MOROKOT!.