The Begging

source: Google

Don’t you think we are all beggars in some way?  Physically or professionally we might not act like the one at street and that is perhaps because we are more fortunate? Most of the begging comes in times of desperation.As a little kid, we beg our parents not to beat us, to play around with dirt, not to send us to school. As a young school going children, we beg teachers not to fail us, we beg for extra marks; as a young teenager, we become the victim of love or infatuation and we do hell lot of begging for acceptance and understanding. In time of loneliness, we beg for company. We spent lot of our time nearthe alter begging pardon for all the sins we committed, even with the knowledge that all it take is but concrete actions to reap concrete results.Even more ironic is when we remember and beg Koenchog Sum (Tripple Gem) only during the time of crisis, danger and desperate. (Which I do often…. L..)

There was time when I thought that people really change once they get chair (I mean when they get job); they tend to forget the little things that mattered most once- the friends, family and people you valued once. But once we are actually put into their shoes,we understand what it takes and what it really means to be on chair. There definitely is cost for getting a cozy chair; so many compromises, excuses and adjustments. On one hand you have the family, friends and people whom you owe so much and who thinks all should be well once you get chair, while on the other you have your own load of expectations, your own round of business to mind. When you cannot balance the weight between them, you become hopeless and sometimes regret takes over with so many ‘if only…’ There are moments of embarrassments and humiliations.That is where begging comes again. We beg for sympathy and mercy for all the failures and letdowns.

Yes life is just a ready-made cup of tea for those who are all set physically, mentally, financially and environmentally, but for others even if one of them is missing, it is hard to keep their foot on ground, because then it becomes unstable. If we can’t derive a lesson from every people we encounter, each day, each night, every tiny moment, from each penny you get or spend or each word you speak, I don’t think life is ever going to be that easy.

The Electrification Work

Courtesy: Namgang Chejey

So the date line is extended yet again? Last time it was 17^th December coinciding with the national day which was extended to March month. Now it is extended to sometime in the month of May. The rural electrification of Serthi and Lauri geog, my humble place is delayed again, thus extending the lives of the community in the hellish darkness for another couple of months. How much people over there will wait? What is going wrong any way?

Already the people have suffered much and I am certain that now even the eagerness, the joy they had once about embracing and welcoming the new world, the joy that their place would now be lighted even during the day must be vanishing. The ease of their life about not having to use the black oven, about not having to collect firewood in stock for all seasons must be getting simmered with such sad news. Perhaps they are now really fed up and frustrated with the false promises.

Yes there are so many problems especially in the part of areas like ours. We have the place where the transmission lines have to cross through the places inhabited by giant elephants. We have to cross the Indian border areas of Assam to get to our place, yet I often doubt and I am skeptic if these are the only problems that are really hampering the work causing the delay of dateline. BPC is an autonomous organization and I do believe with my all heart that they would never incur such heavy losses by delaying such progressive work. At the same time I also believe that there are solutions to any kind of problems. It is in such situations where the interventions the government, by the concerned people and organization is most needed, in turn the cooperation from the community.

As a Zhungka songo as I once wrote about, most of the children who lives in Thimphu or Phuntsholing and other places far from the community we belong think we have little to do with whatever is happening there. We seem to be least bothered and we care less. Everybody talk about bringing their parents to stay with them once they are settled. Who have even thought about tough yet peaceful and quite life we have there? Who would have thought about losing and throwing the good tradition and culture we have? Would we not lose the existence that is so harmonically passed down for generations?

Sometimes this also makes us ponder if what some people said during our honorable member of parliament, Mr. Pelzang’s visit holds true? ‘Soenam mawa meser’ was what the people of our community expressed.  Irrespective of the labor work they contribute, the helping hand they lend in all their capacity and the cooperation in all form they give, be it the farm road construction that is going on in progress, I think our community, our people over there aren’t fortunate enough to embrace such facilities,  the wonder and elites of so-called development. May be we are still surrounded by the seal of the ill fate, perhaps we are still cursed to be in the darkness and that it isn’t the time yet for us and our community. Maybe we are mean to be that way for some more time.

Anyway let us hope that all these hurdles are passed through and that the dreams and aspirations of people be all fulfilled one fine day. But for now patience is all that is needed.

The Liebster Nomination

First of all, I would like to apologize my friend Sonam Tenzin for being so late to response, for not being able to appreciate you kind nomination and recognition as a fellow blogger. I really don’t know what I have been doing all these time; something has always kept me engaged. There are always excuses you know, once you enter that web of mundane world of work. But better late than never, I have always kept in mind to share the happiness about what it means to me as a humble one among so many other good bloggers. Such is another form of inspiration, another platform to know each other, learn each other and keep in touch and remind ourselves that there are someone at back who feels the same. Thank you Sonam for lifting me up to be with the community I love and treasure.

Who inspired you to blog?

I don’t really know what and who exactly inspired me to blog; when I entered college life, there was so many incidents both good and bad which I wanted to cherish and remember throughout my life. I googled what blog really meant (I knew vaguely what blog means before) and that was when I came across this platform. Since then I have been trying to define and do justice to serve its purpose. Blogging has taught me so many thing; I try to express my happiness and celebrate it here, I throw all the sadness, frustrations and get healed here. It is in fact a paper bin for all the emotions that makes my life. I try to learn new things, new ideas and get inspired from the fellow friends and indeed it has been a smooth journey till now.

How you remain active in blogging?

During college life, I used to try put into words from even small things that came across my daily life, all kind of rubbish. But lately I don’t think I am able to keep that trend. Even though I get so many good inspirations to relate and write upon, something has been distracting me. Yet whenever time favors me, I read at length the post of blogs I follow and keep up to. Therefore these days, more than writing my own lines and updating reading other’s has become my thing. Perhaps this is how I keep myself active in blogging.

A quote that guides your life.

Although I have no specific quote which I like it to be guiding me and my life (for there are enough that seems to guide and control us), I do like the following lines: “yesterday is but a water under the bridge, tomorrow a mere dream, today is all we have which is whay it is called present (gift); make best use of it”

What do you do during your leisure time?

Most of my leisure time is spent either reading or watching movies, but that is when I am alone. I like to read or watch movie alone, no distractions! At other times I am online on social network- Facebook and twitter; although I don’t chat or flirt, I like to keep it open and online be it PC or mobile which I don’t know the reason. I like to keep myself up to date with all the things going around breaking news especially and social network is a good platform actually. Sleeping is yet another best leisure time spent!

Thebook which you think shouldn’t be read next time.

When it comes to books and reading, even though I don’t have specific genres of liking, I like to be choosy. Some books attracts me by the mere title or its cover and some, even after friends or web tells me with all the best reviews and extracts, I don’t like. Lengthy ones are another that I don’t go with. And till now I have only read the ones which I would love to read it again. Perhaps that makes me a very poor reader or I have read very limited number of books?

Inspirational dialogues from one of the movies you watched recently.

I don’t know if it is inspirational or not, but I did like the following lines in a movie called Leap Year which I watched recently, it is an old movie though: “May you never steal, lie or cheat; but if you must steal, then steal away my sorrows. And if you must lie, lie with me all the nights of my life, and if you must cheat, then please cheat death”

In you view what makes a person smart/beautiful?

I think we are beautiful and smart in our own ways. And it goes on with situation to situation. The way we tackle particular problem makes us beautiful and smart differently. But all the more a person is most beautiful when he/she is true and the inner qualities excels the external and physical appearances.

The most embarrassing moment of life.

That awkward moment when you fail to live up to the expectations of yourself and people around. You and others expect so much and the result is just the opposite! 

Your thoughts on some people saying bloggers as ‘thought leaders’ in this century.

Blogging is special and creative in one’s own way and therefore bloggers are leaders, a master their own way. Some people blog for political reasons, some for money, and some for social cause, some blogs showcase their talents and creativity that includes art, fashion or tutorials, some blogs act as references to their life. Blogs do have the capacity to shake and shape. With the advancement in the e-technology, blogs would play a crucial role and bloggers would definitely determine in some way the courses of life we live.

My nominations:

1. Namgang chejey my good friend who blogs at my LITTLE VIEWS who doesn't write much but when he does, brings interesting and nice write ups.
2. Tempa Gyeltshen who blogs at The Eastern Sun who for sometime has not been able to write, perhaps he is too busy with his work and life. Hope he notices this and continue writing good pieces. He works at Supreme Court.
3. Jigme Zangpo at here who curently is at College of Science and Technology.

Moments with Mom

Spending time with your parents, with your family is most wonderful, complete and satisfying one we could ever have. Even if we have nothing, to hear evergreen kind and cheerful word from your mom, irrespective of her mood is the most pleasing and pleasant thing that makes us feel safe and sound. There is only love and kindness and no such thing as hatred in the eyes of a mom. And it is so inspiring to hear all that impossible ones made possible from your masculine dad.

It has been almost a month now that I have my mom staying with me. Because of the odd timing of my work, I mostly miss the time to spend with her, but every evening after the work, sitting near her, near the electric heater makes me feel safe, and forget all the worries; it gives me enough hope and energy to try even harder to get through the hurdles of a day. The terrace of wrinkles on her face makes me think of the difficulties she had to face to bring five of us in the lime light of this world and how much early she had to meet the silent hand of aging. The hair-fall on her head, on the areas where she carried load reminds me of the sweat she perspired to feed us well to be among others. How much kilograms of load would she have carried so far? Perhaps thousands! And yet what choice do we (they) have? Being sealed in the place away from the nearest road point by more than two days walk and lacking even the basic amenities, life during my parents and before had never been easy. Even though a road is now on its way, which has its first inauguration in the year 2007, the fate has been cruel enough to delay years after years and it is saddening to know that a 60KM road construction is taking more than seven years to just have a simple farm road. Now that the construction is being undertaken by the Department of Roads (DOR), hope the fate of so-called Shingkhar Lauripas will be completely changed.

Life at here is different for her though, she has learnt a lot. She now knows how to operate basic mobile phone and to use electrical appliances which is new. We also visited some famous sites including the Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) which was only heard verbally. But the problem is that she doesn’t like much the life out here. She so often says that without something to do, without something at hand to pass her time like at village back, it is so monotonous and that her days are too long! I insisted her to stay with me, but she has so many reasons to leave! “We also have a home to stay, cattle and horses to tend, fallow fields to fill, firewood to collect etc…” This goes on until I say whenever you are ready?

Did you ever think about how much of our time do we spent with our parents? Perhaps even less than one third of our life! Till the age of six we are just an innocent little kid; then we are admitted to school (or even below at the urban areas where private schools are available), that too some in border schools; we have only that winter holidays to be with them. During the college life and the work after that, we have our own ways, our own things to look after and perhaps our own circle of family which further separates us from the string of connections we once have.