The girls in my second-grade class asked me what my religion was. The fantasy of my Hindu reality was too much for them to understand. They told me I was lying, that only two religions existed: Christianity and Judaism. Lines drawn in the sandbox. No true conviction to argue against miniature apostles. I looked to Ari, whose Sephardic coloring mirrored my own. Hoped my own religion was forgiving enough for the lie that was dancing on my lips. Raised a prayer to Ganesh and said, “I’m Jewish.” Ari helped make it convincing. I got really good spinning dreidels that Christmas.
Nina Miller is an Indian-American physician, epee fencer, and creative. She loves writing competitions and nursing cups of chai. Read more at ninamillerwrites.com or substack.com/@ninamiller