Holi and hair dye

so today is Holi, the festival of colors. you spell that "होली" in Hindi (which I wish I could actually read. somebody teach me?).

I was telling friend Kolby the other day that Easter is most likely my favourite holiday. not because of the eggs or chocolate (who needs the excuse of a holiday for chocolate, really?)--but because Easter means life. renewal and springtime and green things and flowers and babies and seeds and everything fresh. beginnings and breakthroughs and blossomings. I know autumn will always be my favourite, favourite season, but springtime is beautiful in a million ways, too. meaningful ones. there's lots of lovely symbolism in its holidays. Earth Day. Easter. Passover. Holi.

on campus today, they threw an awesome festival of colors. friend Melanie told me about it and I jumped up and down for a minute (inwardly, of course), pretty much as excited as anything. new roommate Morgan and I got there first, and made some new friends. this is our 'before' picture:

they all have awesome but sort of hard-to-remember Hindu names. except for Dave. Dave's name is not hard to remember. Pratik, Amey, Jitash, and Manu kind of are. but I'm working on it.

here we are after:

those were the photos from my camera. here are some more which I borrowed from all my new friends on facebook. (and Mel, who by now is an old friend on facebook. she took some awesome photos too.)

yes, Morgan is a wild thing. 

we probably had too much fun. but look at all that colored dust. it was glorious. seriously, if there is ever a Holi festival near you, go. rejoice. it's spring!

I just wish I could keep my hair blue longer. maybe somebody someday will talk me into having the courage to dye it... (doubtful. but not completely impossible. this amelia is an easily persuaded soul.)

but that's the thing with springtime and new beginnings-- they don't stay. they are things we move on from, grow out of, leave behind, build upon, and must remember and remind each other to turn back to. good thing they come around so often, right? good thing we have all these springtime holidays.

happy Holi!