My middle name is Ridha.

Referring to Islamic values, Ridha means a sense of satisfaction or contentment with the will of Allah. My parents certainly did not choose that name randomly. They did it with purpose. The name is prayer.

They wanted me to be a sincere woman. Their daughter’s life would be full of twists and turns; as a woman as well as the first child in the family, she was expected to be able to guide her younger siblings.

A “perfect sense of contentment” is too idealistic, right? However, that is my struggle as a human being. That sense of contentment naturally goes up and down.

Oh yes, the name Ridha is quite common in Indonesia. It would be interesting if there was a survey to see if the name helps its owner spiritually to develop a sense of satisfaction in his life.

Since a name is a prayer, it should have an impact on the owner of the name.