That little pool of light shows so much of the way

It's past midnight in Chicago. My friend is sitting and reading a book. Two sets of red and cream candles are set on a tray lined with pebbles. They are unlit and their wicks are white and clean, not yet singed by fire. Beyond the large French windows, there's a lawn. On it and around it, you see nocturnal outlines of trees, other houses, shrubs, and sweet little ghosts set up as Halloween ornamentation. Often, I walk down these lanes in the morning. That's when I see trees resplendent in stiff orange and burgundy leaves. Lush lawns sweeping across suburbia and clouds of molten leaves swirling to ponds and floating away. Wild geese fly high in 'V' formations - strident and strong and heading home. It's night time now and I don't see any of that tonight. Tomorrow, it will be day and I will see them again.

Tonight, I think of Diwali somewhat like this - not so much about good over evil...but like a gentle reconnect with the feeling that it's all there. Close by.