Today marks the sun’s northward movement after the winter solstice.

Makara Sankranti, celebrated all over India—a time that marks fresh harvests, new beginnings, and a quiet turning inward towards spiritual awakening.

At home, it is the one day in the entire year when milk boiling over is not a mistake.

It is welcome.

Instead of:

“Aaarrgghh! You let the milk boil over again? Lakshmi will flee this house like milk escaping that pot!”

We get:

“Did the milk boil over? In the eastern direction? Wonderful! How auspicious! It’s the sign of Lakshmi and all good things coming into this house!”

On this one day alone, the same act is transformed.

Milk boiling over symbolizes plenty, not waste.

It stands for prosperity, not carelessness.

The fact did not change.

Milk boiled over.

So what did?

Perspective.

Meaning.

The story we chose to attach to the same event.

And that made all the difference.

So when we see a child—or an adult—flapping their hands, rocking, clapping wildly, jumping…

When we see someone stimming—

Instead of thinking, “Weirdo,”

Can we pause, just for a moment, and think:

“Just different.”

Because often, the behaviour is not the problem.

Our interpretation of it is.

Now I’m off to ensure sparkling kitchen counters, decorated with kolam, ready to welcome the auspicious milk boiling over.

I’ll come back to talk about stimming after the counters are sparkling again… post boiling-over milk.

Happy Pongal!