What is Our Natural Responsibility?
His Majesty (2010) observed that, “Of
paramount importance to the strength of a nation, is the ability of her people
to live as one united family – a community in which interaction is marked by
trust, understanding and cooperation.”
Times change. Our way of living and
thinking also change drastically over the time. During our forefather’s time
devotion to the god, respect to culture and traditional arts and architecture,
relationship or close ties among our people were unbelievably and remarkably
high. With these great qualities being practised in the hills and vales, the
whole country was as like a paradise so that the country in the past was
described a peaceful country where happiness really prevailed. People of this
generation can further contribute developing our nation as a state of happiness
and live up with the everlasting values of Gross National Happiness. We should
understand that human beings are all born with Buddha nature in them and they
must spend life for good purpose with limited human desires, keeping in mind
that the main cause of our suffering grow from desires.
It’s surprising to confront at this age
that our traditional values, attitudes, behavior and overall loving human
characters alienating, declining and deteriorating with the passage of time. It’s
serious matter of concern for the country. Can we think of developing our
country with evil minds and hearts? Absolutely not! We see different problems
in families, schools, offices and in the economy as whole, today. To take a
simple example against the backdrop of modernization youngsters are changing
their minds. They are more attached to hi-fi world, interested in face booking,
parties and wasting their time. Rather than helping their parents and siblings
at home in studies and studying on their own, they make love at their teen age.
Especially boys and girls in developing towns are more fascinated to wear
branded clothes no matter how much it is priced; pick up the accent of Korean
celebrities and going crazy about listening to western songs. All these
elements ruin the lives of the young school going boys and girls.
When we have continual problems of
different sorts in our country how can we live happy? So, let us not
contaminate ourselves with desires, greed, jealousy and hatred. Rather, uphold
values such as integrity, justice and compassion in line with the unforgettable
words of His Majesty, The Fifth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgay Wangchuk. These
unwritten, unseen but profound values have been a part of our heritage, inherited
from our forefathers and these “natural responsibilities” are easy to put into
practice.
As a good citizen of this country, my
natural responsibility is to be loyal to my service, to be an affectionate son
or a son in-law of my beloved parents; to be a kind brother to my siblings; to
become a loving and caring husband and father; to be a trusted friend of my
friends; to be compassionate to the poor and the disadvantaged in my country.
An amazing facial expression and a kind heart is how you win and received love
from others for me. My advice to all my country folks would be, every time when
you become upset or angry just be cool by worshiping god in your mind as
suggested by Great Sogyal Rinpochhe. This will help you keep yourself happy all
the time. Greeting or else showing good smiles to others in a day will
definitely keep you happy. Certainly when you are happy, your mind will work
fantastic where you will have amazing and breath-taking result.
Following the enthronement of our fifth
king, within the course of 5 years, Bhutan has really developed a lot, as if mysteriously.
We have now a vibrant democracy in place where people voices are making big
differences, bringing forth well balanced economic development across all the
sectors of society. Within this time frame, Bhutan has achieved significant
developments in many areas. Establishment of a mega hydro project of
Punatshangchu phase I and Phase II have been successfully done. Engineering and
construction development works are expanding rapidly; feeder roads in many
remote parts of our country are coming out to create transportation easier for
people. New curriculums are being integrated into the present system of
education and more emphasis is given on the plans and programmes of quality education
in schools. Well equipped medical units and trained professionals are
increasing year by year. Therefore, I think Bhutanese citizens have definitely
taken on natural responsibilities by taking into consideration the four pillars
of GNH and its domain.
Well, on other side, it is a point to
lament ourselves since blame rest on nobody. The recent initiative taken by
government to settle the rupee crunch by mass cash crop cultivation by the
farmers didn’t turnout to be successful, though it became headlines initially
across the country. A few farmers started giving negative feedback as their
hard work and effort didn’t pay them well as the demand for its market was very
low. Nevertheless, our farmer should not stay back or lose hope. All of us
should work together for the betterment of our economy.
It’s a fact that some illiterate people
have nothing. Some of these poor people don’t have even a cow to milk. For them,
it’s very difficult to take three meals of a day without proper nutrients. It’s
really sad to find such people in such pathetic condition, as by nature we are
what we called “living by hand to mouth” we can’t manage to give full support
and help. But there’s a saying that little alms with faith and compassion to
the disadvantaged group of people can accumulate merits for next generation and
by doing so, we tend to live in good harmony with ourselves and others.
Government has been giving support and help to people all time, I still believe
government will strive to eradicate poverty from our land and provide equal
opportunities to all citizens. As reiterated by Jamyang Khyentse Rinpochhe,
Bhutan will soon become healthy, wealthy and happy, where we don’t have to
struggle on, depending for goods and services on other countries as we do today.
It’s not late. Let us roll our sleeve
and work hand in hand for growth and development of our country with good
morale and conduct la. Especially, I would like to urge particularly the SCE
library users at least to take care of books and lend us your cooperation by
putting back books to the shelves after use. If you do this, you are counted for
your natural responsibility – a small act of GNH.
Tashi Delek
Sangay Dawa
Mobile No. 17684034
Library Assistant
Samtse College of Education.
