Happy Diwali // Festival of Lights

Did you know this week is Diwali?

I'd never heard of this holiday before, but I interact with a lot of people at work who live in India and they kept being like "stop scheduling meetings for me during Diwali" and I was like "what are you even talking about." I looked it up and was immediately hooked.

Here's what wikipedia schooled me about this holiday:

"Diwali, also known as Deepavali and the 'festival of lights,' is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. ... Its celebration include millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed. ...Diwali is one of the happiest holidays in India."

Light triumphing over dark! Millions of lights! Happiness! I feel like this is a message I can really get behind. I really like taking parts of different cultures that speak to me and incorporating them into my own Katie culture. So, maybe I'm going to celebrate Diwali from now on!

Regardless of this religious belief or that religious belief or non-religious beliefs, there is something just innately....good....about the concept of light triumphing over dark. It feels good, unifying and simple...and those are three of my favorite adjectives. Wanting good things to happen to people is a belief that's always going to be a constant for me, and I want to hang on to things like that when so much else can seem iffy or tumultuous or confusing at times. I believe in good, and I believe in light. Amen!

Plus, fireworks make my soul so friggin' happy. So, there's that!

I already had a couple friends coming over for dinner tonight (I made lasagna; who am I? I cook things?), and I just HAPPENED to have some sparklers tucked away in a drawer (you never know!), so.........

Happy Diwali!