Festivals

When I was a child,

Festivals were great fun,

New clothes, lots of sweets, firecrackers,

Festivals were the joy of meeting cousins,

uncles, aunts

When I grew older and went to college,

I celebrated festivals,

Hanging out with friends, admiring clothes,

And inviting them and getting invited to parties

When I got married,

Festivals were a lot of work,

Cleaning the house, preparing sweets and snacks,

Buying new clothes for the children,

And visiting friends and relations

Now I am old and full of wisdom,

I find within me, a festival of giving,

I give away sweets and clothes

To the hardworking and the less fortunate

Now I realize, this is the true festive spirit,

Which we discover in sharing and caring,

Festivals don’t mean just lights, food and clothes,

They mean generosity, magnanimity

Vasudha Pansare