Diwali Blues

I felt lonely when- I was celebrating Diwali with my friends.

Narration- I was celebrating my first Diwali away from family. We had a very specific way of doing it at home. My office people got a lot of firecrackers and burnt them every day. My parents taught me not to use firecrackers because they’re hard on animals and bad for the air. I was used to watching from the side and felt okay with it.

But here, I was expected to participate. I tried to join in, but it didn't feel natural. Everyone around me looked happy, but I just felt out of place. I miss the Diwali I knew, the quiet, the sweets, the simple oil lamps we lit at home. Here, it’s just noise and smoke.