Enjoying All the Colors of Life… Happy Holi.

My beloved Grandma was raised in India and enjoyed reliving her fondest moments in celebrating the beautiful culture that she loved so much. Today is one of my personal favorites, Holi.

Holi is the festival of colors, celebrating the triumph of good over evil (defeating the demon Holika). The colors symbolize unity, community, springtime, new beginnings and love.

There is a duality of meanings in this festival for me today, as I will be missing my Grandma, but also celebrating the life of another recent loss.

There couldn’t have been a better day to celebrate the most vibrant, good-natured, inclusive, and loving woman…Karyl, my Mimi. I called her Mimi because she was like a second Mama to me. She has been and will forever be, an inspiration to me of how life should be lived and love should be given. She was a monumental part of my life, not only from her unconditional love and support, but also in the example she set.

She gave me one of the greatest gifts, which is my lifelong best friend. She called me her “Sweet Lung” because she referred to both of her kids as her “Heart” and she wanted me to feel included as I was basically her 3rd child. As I got older, we bonded over feelings, experiences, fighting illness, and our deep appreciation for music, dancing, and laughing.

As I think of her and my Grandma today, my heart goes from mourning to beaming with love. The kind of love that you can never lose. It will be with me and remain in me forever. How lucky I am to have experienced that and to be able to celebrate today.

Hug your loved ones, be kind to everyone, and celebrate the hell out of ALL the colors of life. Happy Holi, Mimi.

I’ll do the Cha Cha for you today. 🥰