Missing Memories: Growing up with Uncle Sombath Somphone
I can’t remember when the first time I met Uncle Sombath Somphone, but I remember well my first time I met Auntie Shui Meng. I was around 4-years-old and running around in front of my grandmother’s house in Thakhek, Khammuane province. I spotted a woman smiling at me and said to me that I had beautiful eyes. Later, I remembered that my mother took me to Uncle Sombath’s house and asked if I wanted to live with them and I agreed. I lived with uncle and auntie until now. Somchit was the name that Uncle Sombath gave to me. When I grew up, I asked him why he gave me such an old fashioned name. He said my name back then was Noy, which was too common. He told me that my name means that “being as your heart wishes” or “be as what you wish.” I came to realize later that I also had a full name given by my own father, Phonephansa, which has never been used. I have lots of memories with …