Celebrating Light

Today is the Hindu Festival of Diwali. I had never heard of Diwali until I moved to my current town, which has a large Indian population. So large that our school system has the day off for Diwali. So large, in fact, that there are multiple public celebrations of the holiday, including sometimes in the park across the street from where I live. 

If you're unfamiliar with the holiday, it is also called the Festival of Lights, and it is a multi-day celebration of the "victory of good over evil." Traditional celebrations include prayer, feasting, partying, music, family gatherings, fireworks, and lighting rows of clay lamps in homes and places of worship. According to the Hindu American Foundation, "The light from these lamps symbolizes the illumination within all of us, which can overcome ignorance, represented by darkness." The lights are necessary to welcome the goddess Lakshmi, who represents agriculture and abundance, into homes and temples, as Lakshmi cannot enter a dark space. Diwali is the beginning of the new year in the Hindu calendar, so it also represents a new beginning, starting fresh with a clean slate.

I love this symbolism. I am not Hindu, but since my community welcomes everyone to share in this joyous celebration, I am choosing to celebrate light and a new beginning alongside my neighbors. The past four months have been a time of darkness for me and my family. The struggle has gotten easier, but it is still a struggle. We all need to find ways to bring light into our lives again. Family, friends, music, good food, and light are all things that can lift our spirits and bring comfort to our souls. Yesterday was spent with cousins and siblings, and good food; today will be spent with friends and more good food, and prayer. And I will make sure there is plenty of physical light around, reminding us that we need to find our metaphorical light to continue to drive out the darkness and welcome in a new beginning in our lives where joy can return. 

We will celebrate the light.