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It has been quite sometime since the last time I witnessed our local Tshechu (religious event). Few months ago I took the time to witness the last day of three days local tshechu. Tshechu as I heard from the legends were organized to let people accumulate merit after long, busy, and tiring and demerit farming works. In the eye of a layman I see tshechu as a time for celebration. The Tshechu that I witnessed is conducted every year in the tenth month of every Bhutanese calendar. Sowing, reaping and collection works of the farmers of the locality comes to the end by the mid of tenth month of the Bhutanese calendar. Recitation of prayers, prostration, lighting of butter lamps, and offering of serkems (alcohol offering), dances and mask dances are some of the major events of the local Tshechu.

As a child of 4 or 5 Tshechus were times for family gathering. Even as I grew to 16 and 17 tshechus were just a local celebration event. I never had second thought and I never took the time to watch it much with curiosity as today. My maternal grandfather was with me and he was teaching me the names of the mask. It is said that we have to know the name of the masks as we will encounter all of them in our afterlife.

Then there was “Ki Khui Cham”: that is what I call in my personal dictionary (smile). I am familiar with this term because the man yells and cries for help and the tone he makes is “ki khui”. It is the “Bardo” cham wherein a person after his death encounters with the angel of death. He is questioned on good things and bad things done while living. The good and bad deeds are measured. If the good deeds weigh lighter than the bad deeds he is lead to be in the hell and if the bad deeds weigh lighter than the good deeds he/she is lead to be in heaven (Zhingkham). This incident had me thinking how light are my bad deeds? How heavy are my good deeds? How light and heavy are we in our deeds? I am still reflecting on how light and heavy I am in my thoughts, speech and deeds.

P.S: This is merely my wandering thoughts

To a parent a son was born
To a king a prince was born
To the nation a ruler was born
“He is not just my son, but the son of Bhutanese”
To Bhutanese parents a promising son was born
To the Bhutanese grandparents an adorable grandson was born
To the young a guiding brother was born
A friend was born to the same
He is a son
He is a brother
A son and brother to 0.07 million people of Bhutan
He is in the prayers of 0.07 grandparents, parents, sisters and brothers
He is in our thoughts
He is in our prayers
He is in our wishes
Thank you for being born
Happiest third Birthday Gyalsay la
You are an apple to the eye
You are the sweetness to our laughter
You are just so adorable.

Imagine this… One day you are in a crowd and you see some busy with own life, some give you stolen looks, some stare at you, some smile at you and some give you a weird look. Then… what do you do? Don’t you look and check upon yourself on what is wrong for their stare and weird looks at you. Yes you do! Yes I do! Yes we do! May be it is good that you and I look back upon ourselves for their expressions to us. May be we want to appear better. May be we want an assurance nod than weird look.

Back to my story, I was swapping through my friend Jigme Lhaden’s phone. I was intrigued on seeing one of her captures. Right on that instant I was asking her to share me that picture. I told her that I would give her the credit for photography. The other night she was telling me how she wished I write an article soon. She was telling me about my clogged blog. I was lacking inspiration these days. For this article her capture was my inspiration. I promised her I would write an article for her to read.

On asking why did she capture that picture she told me she found it unique. A fully bloomed rhododendron tree in the midst of pines: that was the picture that was in her gallery. Most of us are drawn upon what is similar to us. We aspire to be someone like him/her when we forget we are just one in seven billion. We want to talk and act like them when no one can talk and act like you. It is only you who can be like you. We want to impress by being like someone and acting like someone. We want to follow the crowd when we neglect our self.

This rhododendron is in the midst of pines. This rhododendron is a lone survival among the pines. This rhododendron is blooming among the pines. The blooming nature of rhododendron is not suppressed by its’ survival among the pines. The pines have surrounded the lone rhododendron but it has not stopped blooming. You are just you wherever you may be. Don’t lose your charm trying being someone you are not. You are beautiful, you are enough and you are worth your love. Follow the crowd but do not forget your blossom. Keep blooming wherever you are. Be the lone rhododendron among the pines. Their expression is the way of seeing you. Don’t question yourself if you already know who you are!

I don’t remember when this was written. My notepad has been lying on the table for almost months after my last jot. A wake recap reminds me of writing this note during one of the meetings. I was there but may be my mind wasn’t there. “If loving someone hurts, try otherwise. Start loving yourself. When was the last time you greeted yourself in the morning feeling grateful for waking up? When was the last time you consoled yourself on doing bad at your job? When was the last time you patted yourself for the tiring day? We start counting our tears than blessings. We have our laughing days, smiling days and every day normal days. Then there is that one to two moments of tiring days. What do we do during those days? You start to blame the system, blame other party, blame your situations, blame your luck and finally and mostly you start blaming yourself. You blame yourself for the bad decisions, for not being good enough, for not saying enough while you forget being you is enough. A relationship breaks and you blame yourself for not being good enough. If you have given every piece of your heart into this relation and if it still breaks, don’t blame yourself; just know that some things and people are not meant for us. In the process of impressing others we have forgotten to love ourselves, we dress for others….” And I guess the meeting came to an end or my thoughts exhausted reaching that line.

As I flip through those pages I feel like I was consoling myself and today as I see this piece I feel like I am being consoled by myself. I feel better for walking away, I feel heard for speaking up, I learned from the mistakes and every day and every moment I start to appreciate and love myself more. Inspirational quotes and motivational speeches can never compare to the experiences you have felt. I think it is okay to learn from your own mistakes, pains and decisions. It is okay to feel the pain now but I hope you do not forget to love yourself a little more. First start loving yourself selflessly and selflessly love flows to others. Do not take yourself for granted. This is my story from pages of my stories.

It is cold here and when I mean cold it may not be as cold as snowman making cold

It may be cold yet interlocked your fingers are

Handful of snows you collect and drop it to the location of the snowman making

It is not this cold here

Snowman making is very cold yet you bear the cold with joy

The cold here is no joy but bearable

I search for warmth, a fire I guess

Fire rescues me from the cold

Ahh! The cold is bearable because there is warmth

Ahh! Snowman making is fun because there is joy

Just as pain is bearable because there is joy

Departure is fine because there is meeting

Death is forgotten because there is life

The cut is okay because there is healing

The cold is bearable because there is warmth and joy.

P.S Random thoughts

I remember a vague line from the book “For One more Day” written by Mitch Albom which says that the author’s story start where her mother’s story start. But I tell you this without a father there isn’t a mother, without mother there isn’t father, without them there aren’t parents, without parents there is no life and without life you and me wouldn’t have a story either. Each of us has a story to share because we have our parents.

I will share with you my story! Nine months in her womb from embryo to a baby. First few years of our life is spent on sleeping, eating and shitting while our parents sing us lullaby, feeding and cleaning. Then few more years crawling, murmuring, walking and playing while our parents still feed, clean, hold us and teach us. “My child is growing” they say it with pride. Then few more years added and we are into school still playing and growing. Few more years and we are busy living our own life while our parents are still working and praying for us. Often times in the process of our GROWING we tend to take for granted our parents who fed us, taught us, brought us and gave us a life. I am child of this generation who also forget often on how grateful I should be every day to my parents (life-giver).

Today is just like any other day but often without a reminder we tend to forget celebrations which should happen every day. Today is considered “Mothers’ Day” in Bhutan coinciding with the descending day of Lord Buddha but I say today is “Parents’ Day”. This day gives me and the Bhutanese a day to offer sincere prayers and wishes of gratitude to our parents for all they have done to write our own story. I and my siblings were lucky to have mother of birth and mother of care, father of birth and father of care. I have two pairs of parents!

They will never ever be able to read my article but on this very day I offer my sincere prayers for your wellbeing. I thank you for giving me life, bringing me up, medicating me, showering your love and care, for all your sacrifices’ and support. If there is anything I could ask for in this life then it is my parents. If there is anything I could wish for me in my next life it would be my parents I will wish for.

31^st October in the History of Bhutan is the Royal Wedding Anniversary of our Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck and the four Ashis. On this day I also take the privilege to wish our Majesties “HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY” and thank you for being a great parent to our nation and the people. On this very note may Bhutan be gifted with parents like you in all years to come. “HAPPY PARENTS’ DAY!”

P.S I was writing this article to share few words of gratitude to my parents on this special day but I got short of words to describe how grateful I am. I was stuck for quite some time to reach to the end of this article.

Respected your Majesties,

Congratulations and Tashi Delek on your 7th Anniversay! Today marks your seven years of togetherness. Personally for me 13th October in every calendar is a Valentine Day! Recollecting 2011 when His Majesty announced about the royal wedding to the parliament we were overwhelmed while few woman were disappointed (smiles…) because our young handsome king will be no more bachelor. The smile on your Majesty’s face on the utterance of name “Jetsun Pema” left us questioning how great a being she is. But as I look back today I realize that she is a goddess in a human form. A match made in Heaven. If today I believe a little more in love it is because of your exemplary love shown to the nation.

We look upon you your Majesties. All these years after tightening the knot of Royal Wedding on 13th October, 2011 all we have witnessed is tremendous love and affection to one another. Gyalsay Jigme Namgyal Wangchuck the gift to the nation is the result of epitome love and affection. On this “Bhutanese Valentine Day” I wish your Majesties all the best wishes and prayers of the whole universe. May Bhutan flourish under your reign! May the silken knot of love and affection tighten further with every passing moment. “HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OUR MAJESTIES!”

I think it is true that when emotions are plenty you can’t possibly find words to describe them. But if I do not pen it down today I may never do it again. I am afraid I may forget them. I am afraid the emotions may not be as vivid as today and as meaningful as right now.

I was waiting for a car to come by to move towards Tashigang. Then there was another guy who was waiting for the same. It was at a checkpoint. Finally! A taxi came to our rescue. He had a company too. The taxi exactly had 3 empty seats. We were fit in. The easeness of getting a car got crumpled when a man whose reason was genuine like ours had to go as well.

The police guard at the point pointed to me and he offered to stop a car for me but later. Hesitantly and sadly I got out of the car. I had to reach there soon as well. I was biting my lips and literally crying from within.

Miracle! Selflessness! Kindness and empathy came to my rescue. The other guy who had a company and was waiting like me offered to give his seat to me. I was utterly shocked while glad as well. They gave up their seat to me. Two seats for a single person.

I did not even wave “hi” to them before. How do I describe this? I am just so glad to that stranger. I can’t possibly find words to describe them.

Rather than describing I will exit with a prayer and wishes to the random stranger. Just know that you completely made my day. That somewhere someone just like you makes your everyday. That wherever you go may kind souls embrace you. May the paths you take be free of obstacles. May the seed of kindness be grown where ever you go. Thank you to the random kind stranger. I am sleeping with gladness in my heart. You will be in my prayers. I will be that kind random stranger to some stranger.

These days have been a privilege, honor and a pride for me! I say you this again; it is a privilege, honor and pride! I work in an office where the number of staff is less. Days back our office caretaker took leave to attend to her mother who is sick and is on medication at Thimphu. The grasses grew taller, office became dusty and the weeds started growing as tall as the flowers. Though few in number we have done the grass cutting, cleaned the office and even did weeding in the flower garden just in front of the office building. The above activities do not require our effort every day. Then there is one action which needs to be carried out every day in our office hour. Guess what? I think you guessed it right or you did not even give a thought? It is hoisting of our National Flag! From 9:00AM to 5:00PM every working day. Whenever I am at station I always took the opportunity in hoisting the flag in her absence. Today is just another day as every day. I am hoisting the national flag. As I hoist and raise the flag of Bhutan I always smile. Smile and joy fills my heart every morning. The hoisting of this flag is a good enough start for my day.

Hoisting of the national flag every day is a good reminder enough that Bhutan is a Sovereign Kingdom under the leadership of His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo. It reminds me the great words of our great leader His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on Bhutanese being the custodian of our national Sovereignty, Peace and Security. It gives me an identity of being Bhutanese under a great leadership. I feel gratitude to our leaders and parents for handing the country in its best possible state. It stems me hope for future that we stand as Bhutanese under the great leadership of our kings and we are able to hand it to our younger ones. These are my every day early thoughts as I hoist and raise the flag of Bhutan.

As election is around the corner I wish all Bhutanese remember that just as any election year of the country 2018 is yet another milestone in the history of Bhutan’s Democratic Constitutional Monarchy. As a Bhutanese and as a citizen of this country I hope that we never forget our duty of participating in our Nation’s event without forgetting that we are Bhutanese under the great leadership of our Kings! I want you to remember that the national flag of Bhutan must keep fluttering higher and higher under the great leadership of our Kings. Bhutan and its flag is where it is just because of our leaders!

Hoisting and rising of our Bhutan’s National flag should continue forever and ever. May every Bhutanese feel the joy and smile of this flag every day! For this I say again, it is a privilege, honor and a pride to be hoisting and see rising our BHUTANESE NATIONAL FLAG!

The flowers that we love

Colors that we admire

People that we love

Things that we admire

We have to own it

If you don’t own it

It is not yours

Tight and tighter you hold

Forgetting it is vulnerable

It breaks and you get the cut

The flowers, colors, people and the things

Don’t own them

Shower them with love

Don’t hold them

Release them

Safe, secure and sound

We love and admire them

The flowers, colors, people and the things.