The paladin is not merely a defender of the outer world, but a guardian of the light within.
Among the many gifts received from Husna, one of the most unexpected was a new name. When my name was given to me, I was puzzled. Paladin? It did not sound like a sacred name. It sounded more like a title, perhaps even a role. I wondered if it was a name at all.
Curious, I looked up its meaning. What I found made me smile. A paladin is described as an advocate, a defender, a champion of a noble cause. Ironically, these were roles I believed I had already completed in this lifetime. After decades of leadership, service, and advocacy, I felt I was stepping away from those responsibilities, not embracing new ones.
Other meanings emerged as well. The paladin is often portrayed as a holy warrior, one who serves a higher purpose with courage and devotion. Yet even this did not immediately resonate. The name felt too strong, too practical, lacking the poetic beauty I imagined a spiritual name should carry.
It was not until much later, while standing in Madrid before the magnificent statue of Don Quixote, that a deeper understanding arrived. Don Quixote, the eternal Knight Errant who dared to dream beyond the limits of ordinary reality, carries special significance in my family. In Cervantes' beloved masterpiece, the knight's true name is Alonso Quijano—a name that echoes my own family heritage.
In that moment, the symbolism revealed itself. The Knight Errant is not one who fights battles of conquest, but one who journeys in service of an ideal, guided by faith, vision, and an unwavering devotion to what is possible. The paladin is not merely a defender of the outer world, but a guardian of the light within.
What I first received with uncertainty, I now accept with humility and gratitude. The name Paladin has become a reminder that each of us is called, in our own way, to carry the light, to champion love over fear, and to dream the impossible dream into being.