Diwali

"We are all here from six different countries" Celia observed, and for a surreal moment I stepped back from my body and gazed around the room. Bright colors, twinkling lights, laughter, and the powerful feminine energy of women from around the world. I am living as far away from home as physically possible, but in this moment I feel so connected, so much joy, and so at home. I breathe in this moment of peace before rejoining Celia and the other girls celebrating Diwali.

Diwali is the festival of lights, a spiritual holiday celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists across India and the world, including a small gathering in northern Thailand. Check out the video above for a preview of the holiday and how it is celebrated across India. Here in Thailand, I went to Shirley's home to celebrate. Shirley, a woman from northeastern India, has been living and working in Thailand for just over a year now. 2018 was the first year she would celebrate Diwali outside of an Indian community. So she invited members of her new community in rural Thailand.

Shirley

Shirley has an infectious personality. I met her on the street in town when we were passing and I heard her speak English with a group of fellow foreign teachers. We became friends instantly. Her joy and lust for life drew me in, and she spoke to me like a dear old friend. Our friendship is a major reason I feel like I'm thriving here. Shirley is a talented cook, and regularly has me over for homemade Indian food. After a challenging day of being misunderstood by students or coworkers, I can call her up and vent in English, knowing I'll be understood. This girl is FUN. She laughs easily, and seeks to enjoy each moment.

In my new Indian clothes

Opening her front door, I wasn't at all surprised to see so many different people she had connected to in her short time here in Thailand. Teachers, local and foreign, neighbors, and community members. Shirley had spent the day cleaning the house, and she and Pii Gift (a neighbor) were in the kitchen preparing dinner when I arrived. Shirley stepped aside for a moment to help my put on and adjust an Indian skirt she bought me from her last trip home.

Shirley and Gift Decorating the Altar

At dusk Shirley guided us in decorating the altar, using dry rice and colorful flower petals to create concentric circles in front of the altar. She then directed us to light dozens of candles on her front porch as she prepared a plate of fruit to lay on that altar. Passing light from candle to candle swirled warm Christmas Eve memories around my mind. Three little girls from the neighborhood came by to see what we were doing. The best I could explain in Thai, I said we were celebrating an Indian Holiday with Teacher Shirley. "India Day!" they exclaimed and ran off giggling.

Celia lighting candles on the doorstep

Following Shirley's model, we knelt and prayed at the altar. I thanked the higher powers for blessing me with our friendship, and the health of my parents who were able to visit me this month. I asked for continued blessings for my students and the work we are doing in our community, as well as blessing my community in the USA.

The Altar

Dishes were laid out, water glasses were poured, and twelve of us gathered together to eat one of Shirley's delicious meals. That's when Celia leaned over to make her observation. Eleven of us. Representing six different nations. Communicating in four different languages. Living in one community. Celebrating a major holiday for one woman.

Representatives of six nations: LTR, Thailand, China, Philippines, USA, India, Bhutan. 

After dinner Shirley took the fruit tray from the altar and cut each fruit up into twelve pieces. Each piece was a blessing for the guest and the host. However when she broke out the gulag jamun, a traditional Indian dessert, some of the guests felt they were already plenty blessed. They are an interesting dessert, hard to describe. A kind of soft dough ball seemingly made mostly of powdered sugar that somehow remains a cohesive ball, and is soaked in a sweet syrup. There was a white and brown variety. I asked for more blessings of the brown kind.

Dinner
LTR: Shirley's neighbor and her granddaughter, Joy (foreign English teacher), Pii Gift (neighbor and friend), English Teacher, Chinese Student-Teacher, Celia (foreign Chinese teacher), ME!, Sonam (foreign English teacher), and Chris (foreign English teacher - I've described this event as if there were all women here, but there was one dude who briefly joined us for dinner.)

After most people had trickled out already, there remained a large bowl of rice which Shirley insisted not go to waste. She gave the whole bowl to Pii Gift, whose mom owns a restaurant down the road. Shirley ordered five servings of fried rice, which she would purchase and pickup tomorrow to share at lunch, and requested that Gift's family enjoy the rest of the rice. Speaking with Shirley about this later learned that Diwali beliefs encompass a harvest celebration, where food is abundant and shared, and none of it goes to waste. I also learned that she had cleaned out half of her closet and donated her excess clothing to students at her school, which would bless her and her students on Diwali.

Shirley and I at the altar.

I spend the night at Shirley's on Diwali, November 7th, 2018. And as we scrolled through Facebook contemplating our updates, my news feed was flooded by news of election victories for women, LGBTQ people, and people of color across the USA. How designed. How purposed. That on Diwali, the festival of light, a day to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, the USA should experience a major election victory in the fight for human rights, equity, and representation. Usually reading news headlines from abroad leave me heartbroken, empty, and wishing I had some boots on the ground back home. But tonight I was filled with joy; Over 150 LGBTQ candidates claim victory in midterm elections, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar Win, Become First Muslim Women Elected to Congress, 12 People Who Made History In The 2018 Elections, First Native American women elected to Congress: Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland. There is still a long road ahead. There is still a lot of work to do, and it will be slow and bitter. I say an extra prayer, sending love, strength, and support to all these brave trailblazers. I am thankful for my right to vote, and ability to vote abroad. And I am thankful for all of you who voted and helped raise up these voices.

Shirley shared these words that night:

Diwali - a celebration of peace, prosperity, happiness and good health. At a time when the world needs more peace and understanding, this is a beautiful opportunity to bring together friends from across the world (6 nations represented!). Together we light candles to bring peace and happiness to the world. We celebrate our differences, and join hands in friendship, knowing that we hold more things in common than things that set us apart. Today has been a blessing. You are all blessings in my life. A very Happy Diwali to everyone! 🇮🇳 🇺🇸 🇹🇭 🇨🇳 🇵🇭 🇧🇹 🕯

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