Sparks of Surprise

Priya had always loved Diwali—the colors, the lights, the sweets being her focal points. But this year was different. Her parents had decided to visit her brother in Amsterdam, leaving her in charge of the family celebrations back in Jaipur. "Don't worry, Priya," her mother had reassured her over the phone. "Just follow the list, and you'll manage fine." So there she was, sprawled across the living room couch, staring at a crumpled, two-page list of her mother's detailed instructions. Gifts for relatives, sweets from the usual shop, lights positioned here and there—the list seemed endless. Oh, how she wished her best friend Aanya hadn’t moved away last year. Organizing the festival had always been their shared adventure. As Priya sifted through the items, a peculiar message caught her eye: "Always smile and find joy in surprises." "Never gonna happen," she muttered with a chuckle, staring at the next task: hiring workers to string the lights. Tripping her skills as a full-time writer, Priya resorted to reviewing online opinions about decorators. Not long after, the ringing doorbell pulled her from her quest amid tips and reviews. "Please let this be a magician who'd have everything sorted with a wand," she wished as she swung open the door. Instead, she was met with a pair of warm eyes and the casual grin of Rahul, the neighbor she sometimes bumped into at the local cafe. "Hey, Priya," he greeted. "Need some help with the lights?" "Rahul, right? Why not? Expect electric shocks and sparks!" she replied, surprised by her forwardness. An hour later, centered around strands of twinkling lights marked the beginning of their newfound camaraderie. Rahul, with a keen eye for color, offered suggestions that, as he put it, "could give backlife to the deadened look of the balcony." Days drifted on a similar wavelength. Rahul seemed always around when she needed extra hands or just plain conversation. From sweet-hunting at Pahalwan's to choosing the perfect diya patterns, Priya found a rhythm and joy in the activities. Fast-forward to the Diwali evening and the unwelcome twist of a power-cut left the string of balcony lights dim. Everywhere else in the neighborhood, lights burst while their own remained a patch of eerie silence. While contemplating the next move, Priya remembered her father's stash of sparklers—left in the storeroom for 'special occasions'. "Stay put, Rahul," Priya called out. "I have an idea, but I’ll need some backup here." Soon, out came the sparklers, lighting up the balcony with their soft glow. Seeing the makeshift—even clumsily magical—arrangement brought an ecstatic rush of happiness across Priya's face. As Rahul stepped back to admire the flickering installation, he said, "My, oh my, Priya—where have you been hiding this talent?" Laughter echoed from Priya, joined by Rahul's. The fuse had sparked an unexpected delight, overcoming prim approaches and officially launching this year's Diwali in an entirely memorable way. It hit Priya then just like an unexplained moment of clarity: plans sometimes unravel, and yet beauty can create blossoms of its own in spontaneous mishaps. Amidst the gifted sweets shared graciously among their neighbors, Priya caught every stealing glance arising from Rahul. Intentionally following her mother's words by embracing surprises allowed Diwali to draw its own colorful tapestry in her heart. So it didn't feel like Priya had tackled the festival alone nor in ways anticipated, and that unfolded as her significant realization. And perhaps, a growing connection with Rahul might be in line for another discovery worth penning in her novels, like intricate lines connecting traditions with sparkling truths.