I’m sorry to hear that those lovely traditions have stopped. Maybe I’m imagining things but what I pick up from this is a huge sense of loss and sadness. I might have missed something but I didn’t get a sense of happiness about a changing tradition or making room for something new. It feels more like resignation and reluctant acceptance of the way things are now, rather than a joyful choice to do something different.

I love hearing of your traditions and it was lovely to read about Diwali in days gone by. I’m glad you had such strong and meaningful traditions for most of your life. I hope I’m wrong about what I sensed, and that Diwali is just as beautiful and meaningful for you now as it was all those other years. 💖