“Why does our family in India keep sending pictures of sweets for Diwali wishes on WhatsApp?” the wife grumbled, tossing her phone. “I can't eat them! Why not send the real thing? Don't they realize how much we miss those treats?”

Her husband glanced up. “It costs a lot to send sweets from India. Those pictures are their way of sending love, even if we can’t taste it.”

“Then tell them to stop. Seeing those pictures just makes it worse.”

He chuckled, “Everything’s virtual now—even money. Look at bitcoin—numbers on a screen, but people chase it like it’s gold.”

That evening, their home in Arizona, USA, shimmered with the glow of Diwali. Their children ran around placing clay diyas in every corner, each flame flickering in playful arcs. The scent of marigold flowers and ghee lamps filled the air, while distant bursts of firecrackers painted the night with echoes of joy.

The wife arranged the puja thali— flowers, incense, and homemade ladoos. No fancy kaju katli or rasmalai, just sweets made from what was available. But as they folded their hands in prayer, the diyas’ glow seemed to fill the room with something richer than any mithai from India.

“These aren’t too bad,” her husband said, popping a ladoo into his mouth.

“They’ll do,” she smiled, the sweetness melting away her longing, if only for a moment.

After the puja, they lit sparklers outside. The children's laughter rang through the night, their sparklers drawing glowing trails in the air. Though far from home, Diwali shimmered in every corner of their evening—bright, joyful, and full of light.

As the house quieted, the wife picked up her phone and scrolled through messages. Among the flood of forwarded greetings, one notification caught her attention:

“Congratulations! As a blessing from Goddess Lakshmi this Diwali, you’ve been gifted 12.5 BTC! Click here to claim your wealth.”

Her heart raced as she clicked the link. Her bitcoin wallet appeared, showing a balance of 12.5 BTC.

She gasped, showing the phone to her husband, “Look! It’s real—Goddess Lakshmi has blessed us!”

He blinked in disbelief. “Seriously? That’s a fortune! Strange how pictures of sweets annoy you, but bitcoin messages excite you—both just virtual, after all.”

They stared at the screen, frozen in uncertainty.

Ignoring him, she logged into her bitcoin wallet. Her fingers trembled as the page loaded—and then, the balance vanished.

“It’s gone,” the wife whispered, stunned.

Her husband smiled knowingly. “Maybe Lakshmi's reminding us—wealth fades like magic, but this moment is real.”

She exhaled slowly, understanding dawning. “It’s like those WhatsApp sweets—they look real but were never ours.”

He squeezed her hand gently. “Lakshmi’s gift isn’t in the things we chase—it’s in the joy we create. Lighting diyas, eating sweets, being with each other... That’s the real treasure. Maano to moorti, warna patthar.”

The wife smiled, feeling lighter than she had all evening. Amid the festive glow, she saw she had all she ever needed.