As innocent as I was in 2006, I didn't even know how or why Diwali was meaningful to me. I was just celebrating it thinking it's funny. I was weirded out by the feeling that the Diwali holiday seemed to bring to families. The news was spreading quickly, about me and my family. We were going somewhere snowy and very cold, that's what my parents told me. We were going to Canada. That's when I realized the importance of my last Diwali in India. It will help define my culture, the power of being a girl and help me stay positive in any type of situation. My last Diwali in India brought such joy and understanding into my life that was needed to prepare me for my future in Canada. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay It was October 21 in the year 2006, early morning of Diwali. As I went out to put the old newspaper in the recycling bin, the air smelled musty. Moldy because every house was cleaned. Diwali was here. Neighbors hung fluorescent lights of different colors on their balconies to welcome the darkness with light. Elderly men and women headed to the temple to receive blessings on that auspicious day. In that moment the awareness struck me, the awareness of being lucky to be able to celebrate a holiday so full of joy. I have increasingly gained an understanding of Diwali, the festival of lights that will help define my heritage and background when I land on Canadian soil. The feeling of happiness was devoured by sadness when I even thought of living in Gujarat, the place where I grew up and studied; but my last Diwali will always remind me who I am. I am an Indian; even if I stay miles away from my country I will always learn to embrace my heritage even after losing my identity. The children were out shopping for almost half the day, buying firecrackers and new clothes to wear on Diwali; and the luckless children were sadly happy to celebrate Diwali. While the children were out, the women in the house hung a garland of marigold and sacred leaves of the Ashoka tree on the door. Not only this, they also made some attractive and colorful Rangoli on the porch. Rangoli was as beautiful and colorful as the rainbow itself. Since girls were considered Laxmi: the goddess of wealth and cleanliness, they were supposed to attend Laxmi Pooja. Laxmi Pooja was a ritual where girls of my age would sit and listen to the great deed done by Goddess Laxmi and the strength a girl possesses. The Pooja was effective because it managed to make me feel like a precious person. Some people considered girls not strong enough. The Pooja inspired me to act bravely and show how capable girls can be. The festival of Diwali is not just about celebrating Indian heritage, but also about being accepted by all, regardless of gender, race and status; and I think I was able to accept the difference of people when I came to Canada. The fact is that since I was going to a place that I had only heard and seen in films and since this was my last Diwali, my relatives were coming to visit our family. Usually on Diwali it was said that we must socially interact with people so that any misunderstanding between friends and family gets cleared. The interaction and positive thoughts kept me positive for the rest of the day. Even today, when I remember sitting on a black leather couch and absorbing every word my relative said. This thought brings back old memories. Memories of my last Diwali and the atmosphere.