Gentle Breeze

Naming children is an enormously challenging task. Parents spend months debating a good fit. In some countries, a name is not selected until the time of birth is known. We have friends who name their children with the same letter. Others repeat names with ascending suffixes.

In short, what we want our progeny to be called reflects who we are. If there ever was a time to reach across aisles, cultures, faiths, traditions with an appropriate name, there’s no doubt that we are standing at that threshold right now.

With the world divided into us versus them, my way or the highway, black and white with zero scope for gray, I am pleased to introduce you to the littlest member of our growing tribe and to the delightful meaning behind his name.

Meet Samir.

This bundle of joy made his entrance peacefully and propelled big sister Mina to dance in glee and thrilled his parents, uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents. I think the universe sent us a Libra to offset the stubborn, indecisive, escapist, impulsive and overly analytical zodiac animals in our family.

Samir’s name is loaded with significance just like his sister’s name is. Meaningful to Hindus and Muslims alike, Samir occurs in South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. From gentle breeze to companion for evening talk, holy, jovial, exquisite and perfect, the name encompasses the emotions and traits that are appropriate to bake into a newbie’s personality.

Full credit to our children for picking names for our grands that cross more boundaries than we can count. The hope is that these meaningful names will equip the children to fluidly move across lines, accommodate multiple viewpoints and to leverage our differences to create more perfect unions.

We are in complete awe of Samir. His tiny little hands and feet, head full of hair and how he looks at us with curiosity have us smitten. When he cries, it’s a wail so tender. When he eats, the vigor in his cheeks leaves us amazed at how instinct manifests for our benefit.

After video chatting with mom and baby brother, Mina told us he is “vewy noisy”. On her first visit, she saw the nurse prick Samir’s heel for bloodwork As he stretched his legs and whimpered, Mina scrambled up my lap looking away, his cry instilling sadness and fright. At home, Dr. Mina gave him a full work up with her doctor’s kit. She listened to his heart and declared him healthy. She made sure that the stethoscope didn’t touch his heart because “it has germs”. May this kindness never wane.

To his credit, Samir is sleeping through the din that follows Mina and fusses when he needs attention. In India we say that when a baby startles or cries and smiles right after, it is a reaction to being told that mom is not there followed by the realization that she is nearby. I told Mina this story and dutifully she asked, “Why?” as she does when fascination outruns cognition.

May Mina - precious jewel, resolute protector - keep a vigilant eye on Samir. He will be the perfect companion to talk with in the evening and a gentle breeze in the day. May these names add wind beneath their wings as they soar above all the noise to choose joy and love every day.

Welcome, little one. Together we will find many ways to thrive.