Which of us is poor?

One day, a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be.

They spent a couple of days and nights on a farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, dad!”

“Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked.

“Oh, yeah,” said the son.

“So, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they have four.”

“We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.”

“We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.”

“Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.”

“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields beyond our sight.”

“We have servants who serve us but they serve others.”

“We buy our food but they grow theirs.”

“We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them.”

With this the boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are.”

-Anon

Source:  Komal Journal

A short short story of sweet sorrows & joys of life

THE TROUBLED HEART  

 -by Pema Choidar

“That will do! Take what you’re given or lose the lot,” commanded the voice from above. Pema Dorji trembled with fear and consented in a faltering voice, “Thank you.”

His appeal had been dismissed and the decision made final. “It is the verdict of this Court that the said wife shall go with her new husband. However, you are entitled to keep the property and the children.”  The Judge made a stiff bow to acknowledge Pema Dorji’s obeisance and bustled out. His marriage was history!

A tiny bar that could barely sustain body and soul was the “property”. Running it single-handedly with children in school was the weight of his responsibility, which progressively grew harder and heavier with time. He desperately yearned for someone to share and ease his lot. It was too much for him to survive this way.

Three years later, for his children’s sake and his own sake- for better or worse! -Pema Dorji opted to take another plunge again.

Lhaden brought in all she could; the love, care and support they’d all been craving for.

Their home returned to its usual unhindered routine: Children to school, Lhaden to the domestic chores and he to his meager business. Home glowed brighter and warmer. Yet, in the minds of his two daughters and a son, they never liked their father’s replacement of their mother with a stepmother. For no particular reason but a vague sense of defiance, they felt subtly subjugated. The little brother even gravitated towards crime!

As the children gained their youthful passion and strength, they found Lhaden (stepmom) ruder and surlier. On her part, she couldn’t stand their clumsy manners and unruly behaviour. Pema Dorji felt mashed like a potato between two rocks. He was never happy; in fact, nobody was happy.

Pema Dorji admitted his kids to a high school far from home notwithstanding his missing them. It was the only way to keep his home from tearing apart.

 A few months later, he lost Lhaden too. She died giving birth to a son. His children didn’t attend the cremation. He felt awfully abandoned and left the village with his new born child.

He began a new life scratching the soil for living. He toiled thus till his boy came of age. He felt that his only youngest son understood what was true filial love and devotion.

Pema Dorji lived with unspoken misery and undiluted pain, which he hid in his heart. People found him happy, but in sooth, no one could be sadder than him. He grieved alone and often blamed his stars for the cruel fate he had to endure.

Having had to stagger for ages, father and son had reached another milestone. The son will soon graduate and make his father glad. Pema Dorji also got a message from his older children that they’d be coming to take him to a newer and better place. This brought him true happiness to his troubled heart.  All his sacrifices are finally coming to a close, he thought.

The candle by his bedside is lit. He blows out its flickering flame, gropes in the dark for his bed, and burrows under the blanket. In the still of the night, with a last prayer on his lips and the last hope in his heart, he closes his eyes forever.

-Written in loving memory of my Paternal Grandpa, Meymey Pema Dorji

Published in the Bhutan’s National Newspaper, ‘KUENSEL’ on August 19, 2006

-Reproduced to fulfill the requirement of Knowledge Management Course,  M.Ed(Management),  Mahidol University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uzorongpa's Fist: A short story of exterme humiliation & anger!

  Uzorongpa’s Fist       - by Pema Choidar

‘Uzorong’ is a village in Trashigang district of eastern Bhutan. The people who hail from this village are known as ‘Uzorongpa’. Bhutanese add the word ‘pa’ to the village name to imply from where they come from. So, if you are from 'Druk' you become 'Drukpa".

In the ancient folktales of Bhutan, the Uzorongpas were famous for their stories of both wits and follies; witty tricks played on others including the district governor and the acts of stupidity that even cost their lives.

 An oral transmission of a tale of Uzonrongpa narrated that once the village headman called all the villagers for their usual meeting on an important issue. Uzorongpas attended the meeting along with other villagers from ‘Kanglung’ and ‘Yonphula’. Now, amid the discussion, the headman suddenly started scolding a man from Uzorong for some reason. The headman angrily shouted at the top of his voice, speaking harsh words and he nearly beat the man. The Uzorongpa remained silent, lowering his head and tolerated the humiliation. He trembled with fear before hundreds of villagers. Nobody knew if that submissiveness was directed by his respect or cowardice. Then, the meeting was called off and people left for their homes.

The Uzorongpa also walked home in anger and humiliation. Then, he reached a ‘Choeten’ or a Stupa on his way home. By then he had reached the strategic place where the village headman could neither see him nor hear him. There, he stopped and started expressing his anger in response to the extreme humiliation inflicted on him during the meeting.

The Uzorongpa stood firmly behind the ‘Choeten’ or the Stupa so that the headman or other people could not see him. Then, he held his head high, clenched his fist, raised it in the air and brandished at the headman. He waved the fist towards the direction where the headman lived as he shouted, “I hate you, you’ll receive this big blow on your nose and see it get flat,” he continued in a frenzy of extreme rage, “You thought you could scare me, never in your life!”  Some fellow villagers eavesdropped on his countless words of curse for the headman. He continued, “I'll see you soon, let’s see who can save our head first, Monster headman!” But the narrator said that he never dared to say a word whenever he met the headman.

Today, if anyone speaks bitter words to express anger and defiance against one’s superiors in their absence, we remind the person not to show the “Uzorongpa’s Fist” or “Uzorongpa Mootoomaang” to be precise.   

life is full of surprises!!!

life is full of surprises!!!

My Best Friend                    -by Pema Choidar

She studies in Pune, India. I’d just started working when we first met. Now we are as one; nothing stands between us.

“Hello, Pema, it’s tea-time!” my colleague Choden suggests. “I know,” I join her to a canteen nearby.

“So, how is she in Pune?

“Fine, I just called her last night.”

“She must be missing you.”

“Yes, but she has lots of friends.”

Our conversation drifts from one thing to another. Just before heading back to work, she invites me to her place for dinner. And so, we became friends. She reminds me a lot of my beloved Kesang, may be because she always asks about her.

I called Kesang later.

“Guess what?” I said. “I’ve got a new best friend.”

“You, what?”

I knew she heard me the first time but I repeated what I’d said. She didn’t seem too happy to hear my news and cut me off mid-conversation. I had so much to say.

Something changed between us. Later I came to know that her friends called her to say that I was flirting with another girl. Kesang burned with rage, suspicion and hatred for my best friend.

Back in the office, Choden tells me that she’s going to marry the love of her life. I offer my congratulations and wish her happiness.

“Will you miss me after I’m married?” she asks.

“Will you?” I reply.

She nods and so do I.

One night Choden decides to call Kesang.

“Hi! I’m Choden, how are you?”

“Um- I’m fine,” replies Kesang, somewhat nonplussed.

“I guess Pema told you about us, didn’t he?

“Yeah, happy to know you,” Kesang made an effort to sound friendly.

“Then, why don’t you come for my wedding, on Sunday?”

“Thanks. I’ll try.”

“I’ve a surprise for you…,” but Kesang had hung up before Choden completed.

Kesang felt shocked out of her wits. Her final exams were in a week’s time. Back home, the love of her life was tying the knot. Life was unfair!  She felt the enormous weight of despair on her frail shoulders. Her friends found her in tears and persuaded her to forget it.

 “There are plenty of fishes in the sea,” they said.

Kesang herself had rejected many a young man and now she regretted a few. Yet still she had hope for she knew her man so well.

I tried to call her and wish her the best for her coming exams but couldn’t get through. Even her best friends denied access. That’s what friends are for! I guess, they were trying to break us apart.

Kesang decided not to write her papers and head straight home. Her friends tried to dissuade her. “I just wish to give them khadar (scarf),” she said. She left for Bhutan and looked quite sick when she got home.

Sunday: at the wedding ceremony, everyone was all smiles. She joined the queue to offer ‘khadar’ and by the time she reached the couple, her eyes were wet with tears. And them-Surprise! Surprise!

-Dedicated to all the lovers.

-Published in Bhutan’s National Newspaper ‘KUENSEL’ on August, 16, 2008

Reproduced for Knowledge Management Course, M.Ed (Management), Mahidol University.

 

 

thriller & suspense- wisdom

 

The Solace Seeker- by Pema Choidar

“Tong…tong….tong!” the gong resounded through Lamai Gonpa Buddhist monastery. Its sonorous tones carried through forests, over valleys, up cliffs, down gorges, blending with the serenity of the place.

The young novice monks, tonsured and maroon-robed rushed towards the entrance from all directions.

An elderly monk, Gelong Mindu stood still, with a blank gaze towards the western horizon, drinking in the resonance of the gong until it dwindled and died in the distance. ‘Ah! To retire for repose after a long day’s service in toil,’ he sighed, staring after the golden trail of the setting sun.

Mindu was in wonderland.

Down to earth, back in his office, he sat in an armchair, fixed his eyes on the computer console while his adept fingers typed out the alphabet. He must finish the work, yet his very thought of haste impeded the pace of its execution.

Soon he was to be with Tshoki.

Almost time. Before shutting down, Mindu checked his e-mail. There! Tshoki had given the time and place of their rendezvous. His spine tingled with anticipation. Time up! Shut down. Mindu left.

They drove to Tshoki’s place, watched their favourite soap on TV, and made light talk over dinner as usual. Having gone together for the last ten years, they had finally decided to settle down. Their wedding had been fixed to be in a fortnight.

Mindu returned to work the next day in a cheerful frame of mind.

Then the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Is it you Mindu?”

“Yes, something wrong?”

“Um… I’m…” Tshoki’s voice sounded strange.

“Is there anything the matter?”

“I’m sorry,” she hung up abruptly. He stared at the phone, and then noticed he had e-mail on his computer screen. It was a note from Tshoki which read:

Dear Mindu, I’m already engaged to somebody and I’ll be marrying him soon. I couldn’t bear to tell you before but now I must. I know how hard it is for you. It hurts me too. Please forgive me. Goodbye. Tshoki

The very next day, Mindu tendered his resignation. He was called several times for an explanation. Exactly one week later, his phone rang. It was his boss; his resignation had been accepted.

“Excuse me!” his young friend nudged him.

Mindu stood there dazed for a while.

“It’s late, “said his friend, “you are miles away.”

As he approached the hall, he could hear the melodic sound of the prayer in progress. He entered with burgeoning faith and beatific smile. The other monks seeing his asinine smile wondered if Gelong Mindu was going senile.

-Written in Loving memory of my late Grandpa, Meymey Mindu.

Published by Bhutan’s National Newspaper, ‘Kuensel’ on June 26, 2004.

-Reproduced to fulfill the requirement of KM Tool for Knowledge Management Course, MEd

Reflection: Wisdom is pursued through the sufferings.

 

How did April Fool’s Day begin?

Perhaps we'll always remain fools if we fail to figure out the origin of April Fool's Day.

The history says that until mid 1500AD, one calendar was used throughout Europe. Under this calendar, each New Year began on April 1st. On that day, it was customary for people to celebrate by exchanging gifts and visiting each other as we do now.

The April's Fool's Day is believed to have begun in France around 1564, when the King Charles IX adopted the Gregorian Calendar and decreed to move the New Year's Day to January 1^st, instead of the previous March 25-April 1.

 While many people followed the Royal Decree and the new calendar, some refused to acknowledge the change of the New Year’s Day and clung to their former celebration. However, there were some who remained uninformed about the changes for several years as the news traveled slowly. So, these people who continued to celebrate it on 1^st April were called "fools" and subjected to jokes, tricks, pranks and ridicule. Their friends and neighbours sent mock gifts, invited them to fake parties, and played tricks on them because they were “April Fools,” who continued to observe their New Year’s Day on 1^st April.

Today, April Fool's Day has become a worldwide practice with certain air of uniqueness in each culture. In England, jokes are only played in the morning. It is considered bad luck to play a practical joke on someone in the afternoon.

In Italy, France and Belgium, children and adults tack paper fish on each other's back as a trick and shout, "April fish!" (in their language).

In Scotland, April Fool's Day is celebrated over two days and is also known as "April Gawk." Gawk is the Scottish word for cuckoo (a simpleton). The second day of the celebration involves pranks involving the butt. It is known as Taily Day (Most likely how those 'kick me' signs started.

Portugal celebrates the April Fool's Day on the Sunday or Monday before Lent. Tricksters throw flour at friends.

Finally in America, it goes from simple silly untruths to elaborate pranks.

What is your favourite joke for the Day?

 

 SOURCE:

1.       http://family.lifegoesstrong.com/article/what-april-fools-day  Retrieved 31^st March, 2013.

2.      http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/how-did-april-fools-day-begin-and-how-did-it-get-its-name   Retrieved 31^st March, 2013.