The Death of P. Keith Mitchell

Not really, literally, but figuratively.

Today I changed over the last little bit of anything that had to do with that name. Last week after getting a court-certified copy of the name change order in the mail to send in to get a new birth cert (yes, they make you do that!) I realized I had two, so I went to the dmv and got my license and my title changed over to Sat Inder Singh Khalsa, both within 7 minutes, a new record for the dmv, or maybe a sign this is supposed to happen?!? So I went to the social security office and got my new card ordered, supposedly to take 2 weeks but I got it Tuesday of this week, 6 business days later (the title came on Friday of the SAME week I ordered it, signs again?). That part only took another 15 minutes. Two of the most difficult things to deal with both done in the matter of half and hour to 45 minutes including drive time, what?

So I got my bank account switched this week after receiving my ss card and just today got my cell phone switched over as well as my car insurance.

Now I should be excited yes? I am, but a weird feeling crept upon me after the bank account yesterday. Not sure how to describe it, just like a loss maybe, of a friend? Hmmm, not sure.

So last week a friend of ours was in town and staying with us and she asked first thing like it was expected, well, didn't you have a death ritual?!? I'm like no, not really into that. Then thoughts of many things flooded my head that night. In India when you take vows to lead a life a certain way and recieve a new name from your guru (in the Hindu tradition) you actually have your things and burn them as if you had died and the new being with the new name is sprouted forth like Athena and moves on ahead.

Not knowing if this is what Cheri meant it did occur to me, maybe I need that. It could be that the ritual would help with the feeling of loss, or rather help with the incorporation of the old me and the new me, or be symbolic of the transformation I feel I've gone through that made me chose to take the spiritual name as my legal name. Something like that anyway, maybe.

So for now I decided to write this little blog about it and see how I feel. I have changed my name legally and committed myself to this new lifestyle but have not taken the vows of a Khalsa yet, which I plan to do at summer solstice in New Mexico in June. Maybe after that I'll do the ceremony/ritual? Maybe not. I'll see how I feel then, maybe I'll do after I get off this computer, maybe not. What do you think?

Sat Nam, Sat Inder