After admiring my skills at photography, I decided to write about this compelling picture. Surely, it is more than just a random click on my morning run. I stood there for a while, admiring the lamp and its gorgeous bluish-greyish background, watching the light from the lamp growing weaker as the morning sun rose slowly, but proudly, getting ready to outshine everything else around. I recently learnt that this hour was called the "Blue hour / blue light". I was witnessing it in all it's glory. Blue light means the light just before sunrise or sunset.
Delving deeper into the personality of light, I wondered how strange and obvious it is that one light outshines the other at different times of the day. At night, the familiar wrought iron street light is sometimes the only source of light, guiding me not to fall off the edge of the road and crash into cars speeding past. And at daytime, it's just a pretty antique looking lamp standing witness to everything that walks past. Darkness is when it shines, casting its sulphurous glow, lending brightness to the otherwise dark, black streets. Same goes for the natural sunshine, bright, clear or shining, nourishing lives around us, but resting at night, allowing other sources to come into play.
This is exactly how it feels with just ten days to go before the start of a new year, the old year ready to disappear and the new year ready to unfold. I cherish every moment of the last few days of a year that has lived its life to the fullest. I hold on to the things that warmed my heart. And yet, I eagerly wait for a brand new year to begin, it holds a promise like no other.
Like every year, this is the time for transition. I find myself standing at the threshold of change, decisions, waiting for the darkness of hard times to lift off and making room for light, any kind of light. Memories wash over me like waves at the seashore, leaving me drenched with a bunch of emotions, a strange mix of joy, gratitude and disappointments.
In my mind's eye, I flip the memories like pictures in a photo album, feeling each moment alive, bringing out different reactions in me. A smile surfaces on my face as I revisit the good times, I cringe as I think of all the silly and thoughtless things I did, feel disappointed about things that I could have done better, but mostly, I give myself a pat on the back for making it through challenges and struggles. I think it's important to be kind to myself, because only I know that the struggle is real. I am grateful for the grace of God and the love of friends and family that helped me sail through, even in times when I felt the waters were frozen.
So, as I stand on the brink of 2019, enchanted with the softness of blue light, awaiting the power of the golden light to fill my face. I love basking in the warm glow, and the gift of quiet time to illuminate my inner self, with insights that will help propel me forward, bringing me closer to my goals. Even as the darkness fades, and the morning sunshine sweeps in, it captures the essence of the night, giving me a glimpse of what has passed, making me appreciative of what I gained and hopeful of the things that are yet to come.
I am all set to welcome the new year with this quote from Maya Angelou, one of my favorite authors, "Let nothing dim the light that shines from within."
Diwali is a celebration of good over evil, darkness over light and knowledge over ignorance. In India, Diwali surrounds us with excitement, extravagant shopping, fire crackers, exchanging gifts, feasting on lavish meals, wearing new clothes, buying jewelry and lighting up homes and neighborhoods with oil lamps. Streets are transformed into a whole new world, bustling with life, glittering with dazzling light bulbs, the air oozing with cheer, laughter and the spirit of festivity. A long stretch of holidays at work and school makes it possible for everyone to meet and greet loved ones living far away and spend quality time with those near and dear. Celebrations begin early in the day and last for days after the festival is over, leaving precious memories to linger in our minds. After moving to the United States in 2015, my definition of Diwali changed drastically. Though I followed all the traditions as I had in my home country, the feeling was never the same. The five-day festival that...
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