WHAT I FELT DURING DIWALI WEEK..!

[Vedha]

🪔 WHAT I FELT DURING DIWALI WEEK... ❤️
For more than a month, I had been preparing for Diwali, little by little.
Purchasing things, buying crackers from Sivakasi, choosing sarees and dresses to gift my loved ones, planning the celebrations and looking forward to the festive bonus and all the little joys that come with the occasion.

It was exciting. It felt good.
But somewhere between all those purchases and preparations, I started noticing something else.

I saw people selling things on the streets, working hard to make a living. For some, Diwali isn't about shopping for pleasure; it's about earning enough to take something home.

I thought about children eagerly waiting for their parents to bring home a few crackers, not knowing how much effort went into making that little wish come true.

I thought about youngsters who had just started their professional lives, struggling to find their footing, wanting to be heard at work but silently carrying the fear of disappointing their families.

I thought about elderly people earning whatever little they could, still trying to meet expectations and keep everyone around them happy.
And suddenly, the festive excitement felt a little different.

It made me wonder...
For the sake of one festival, do so many people really need to go through so much emotional and financial pressure?
When did celebrating become about how much we could spend, how many gifts we could exchange, how grand our purchases could be and how well we could meet everyone's expectations?

Diwali is meant to bring light, happiness and togetherness.

But somewhere along the way, have we allowed expectations to overshadow the very happiness we're supposed to celebrate?

I'm not saying we shouldn't celebrate. Absolutely, we should!
Buy that saree you've been dreaming of. Gift your loved ones. Light those lamps. Enjoy the crackers. Prepare your favourite food. Make beautiful memories.

But perhaps we should also remember that a festival should never become a financial burden, an emotional obligation or a competition.

💜A child's happiness shouldn't depend on how many crackers their parents can afford.

💜A person's worth shouldn't be measured by the gifts they bring.

💜And someone's love for their family shouldn't be judged by how much they spend.
Sometimes, a modest celebration filled with genuine happiness is worth far more than an extravagant one filled with silent struggles.

Let's celebrate Diwali, but let's not forget the people who are struggling to make that celebration possible.
Because the real light of a festival should bring warmth into people's lives, not pressure into their hearts.

🪔 Diwali needs to be celebrated. But at what cost?
What's your take? Have we made festivals more about expectations than happiness?

#ThirudaN #DiwaliReflections #BeyondCelebrations #HumanityFirst