The Surname of Light
The theme of this bloghop was an invitation I couldn't ignore. I had a draft ready in my mind, waiting for the house to go quiet so I could finally pen it down. As I tucked my son in, I used his full name. “Aadi Parekh, let’s close our eyes.” Off he started his chants. “Maman Parekh,” “Papa Parekh,” “Dada Parekh,” “Dadi Parekh.” I smiled in the dimness. He knows our names, but he chose to anchor our formal family title to our designated roles. I was about to tell him how cute he was, assuming the census of our home was complete. “Light Parekh,” he whispered. I paused. My instinct was to correct him—to say that light isn't family. I caught the words before they left my lips. I saw the warmth on his face, a look of genuine recognition. I repeated “Light Parekh” with a hint of a question, waiting for the punchline of a toddler’s joke. He didn’t laugh. He looked at the floor lamp and smiled warmly. I stayed awake that night, my original draft forgotten. A two-year-old had just dism...