This time of year, people around the world think about things like the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, life over death. We just celebrated Halloween on Sunday, which is rooted in the Celtic holiday of Samhain—marking the bringing in of the harvest to sustain people through the shorter days and colder temperatures of winter. Samhain also honors those who have preceded us into death, keeping their memory alive through the generations.
On Monday and Tuesday, Christians marked All Saints Day and All
Souls Day, essentially carrying on the Celtic tradition. The wall between this
world and the next is more frangible around now, and it’s a time for lighting
protective and cleansing bonfires.
One of my favorite holidays starts tonight. That would be Diwali,
when Hindus celebrate a number of events where princes of light and good
slapped down princes who would envelope the world in darkness and evil. I find
it interesting that this whole good/evil thing was not one-and-done; evildoers
are always trying it on, so we have to be alert, strong and brave.
One part of the Diwali tradition involves lights—candles, fairy
lights, fireworks, the whole spectrum—and I definitely can get behind that.
(Another one is the sharing of sweets, which I also endorse.)
So, tonight—more than other nights—I’ll amass candles on my dinner table and consider how we in these times can turn back the darkness. This year there’s a new addition to my display, because I’ll take all the help I can get in this fight, even if it’s from a squirrel.
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