Khadijah called tonight from Blue Cross Blue Shield. She wanted to ask me some questions as part of a confidential survey on my health care over the last six months.
The first thing I said to her is, "Wait! What did you say your name is?"
"Khadijah, sir."
*****spoiler alert! I didn't take the survey*****
I told her she had a great name! I told her I've loved that name for years.
I must admit part of the reason for the compliment was because I was going to have to tell her I couldn't take the survey.
I'm on a strict deadline to restructure the trailer for our documentary about Ken Rideout and a twenty minute survey would not be a good reason for a break from the edit.
I also gave her the compliment because it's true. Khadijah is an amazing name.
Its roots are in Arabic and given the circle of Arabic friends I have and the popularity of that name (The Prophet Muhammad's wife) I've heard it many times.
Basic translation: early baby.
I love names. They have meanings. More so than people know.
For example, my name is Stuart Lance.
Stuart, from the word steward, which means to care for and Lance from the root word land.
My name literally means, "to care for land."
Why did I search this out? Because so many of my international friends know the meanings of their names.
So, the moral(s) of the story?
Get to know people from other circles than your own. You're learn more about yourself.
Keep up with Rideout: One Last Summit on Facebook to see the new trailer and follow our journey toward getting the documentary distributed to 100 million US homes through Seed & Spark and Project Green Light Digital.
Oh, and be kind to telemarketers. They are just trying to do a job like the rest of us.