DIWALI - For Peace, Prayers, Health and Prosperity

Diwali often paints our lives with the colors of joy, warmth, and celebration. Homes glow with lamps, streets twinkle with lights, and hearts overflow with laughter. Yet, for some of us this year, the familiar sparkle feels dimmed. The last few months have brought moments of heartbreak — the loss of dear ones, parents of close friends, or even young children whose presence once filled rooms with laughter. Some families we hold close continue to struggle silently, facing battles with health or life’s unpredictable storms. Amid such waves of grief and concern, the festival, usually bright with jubilation, feels quieter, softer, and more introspective.

Yesterday, as I lit diyas around the house, I felt the faint warmth of tradition — a reminder that light must never stop burning, even in darkness. Each flickering flame on the terrace, each candle glowing in a window, seemed to echo the same silent prayer: may those we’ve lost find peace, and may those still with us be blessed with strength, health, and hope. The act of lighting lamps felt less like a symbol of external celebration and more like an offering — a whisper to the universe to protect, heal, and comfort.

This Diwali, I find the greatest meaning not in fireworks, but in faith; not in sweets, but in silence; not in grandeur, but in gratitude. Sometimes, shining light outward feels impossible until we tend to the fading flame within. Loss changes how we view festivals — it does not erase the meaning, but transforms it. The light of Diwali reminds us that even the smallest diya can pierce through endless darkness. Maybe the essence of the festival this year lies not in how loudly we celebrate, but how gently we remember and how deeply we feel.

As people gather to exchange gifts and joy, may we also pause to send quiet blessings to those passing through grief, illness, or loneliness. Let each lamp we light tonight honor them — the living and the departed, the ones nearby and the ones beyond reach. Let it remind us that compassion, faith, and togetherness are what truly illuminate Diwali’s spirit.

So, on this Diwali, as I light the lamps again — not with overflowing cheer, but with sincere prayer — I ask for one thing only: may everyone around be safe, healthy, and at peace. May the divine light enter every home shadowed by sadness and every heart burdened by pain.

For some of us, this is not a Diwali of fireworks but of healing. And that is perfectly alright. Because sometimes, the brightest Diwali is the one that happens silently within — when we choose to keep the flame of love and hope alive, no matter how dark the night has been.