Aging LOVE III

 

Abi Bogdpa and Memay Rinchen

It was 7 AM in the morning. As usual Mamay Rinchen was already waiting in the queue for a steaming breakfast. He carries double plates, one for himself and another for Abi Bogdpa.

After a few minutes he returns with a big smile on his face signaling a sumptuous treat. As they sat down for breakfast, they seemed to exchange a few talks, as it was clear from their little aging laughs. They're made for each other and that is obvious from their evergreen relationship. 

Abi Bogdpa is 71-year-old from Mongar Dzongkhag. They settled in Tsirang (Sergithang) through a resettlement program in early 2000. Interestingly both of them are fluent in commonly spoken language -Lhotshampa kha (Nepali), which makes their communication easy and fast.

She is a chronic Asthma patient. She is currently undergoing treatment at Damphu District Hospital. 

For the past 3 years and 6 months, Abi Bogdpa has been patiently waiting for her discharge order. However, every passing day, her condition is only getting worse. The main cause of the disease is unknown; nevertheless, she declared that she used to smoke in her youthful days. I shared that smoking does not alone cause Asthma. It's a complicated disease. Even the experts can't guarantee the root cause of Asthma. There's currently no cure for the disease, but treatment can help control the symptoms so one can live a normal life. But for now she is fully dependent on a ventilator and inhaler. 

As she recalls her youthful days in tears, thousands of patients have come and gone by, but Abi Bogdpa has never walked beyond the toilet wall. 

Until I came across Abi Bogdpa, I'd never realized that Asthma is so deadly and horrible, making someone so sick. For all these many years, she'd been enduring an unthinkable life journey with this silent disease. I've learned so much from this old couple about life and more so about this disease. More importantly, I've learned to live life happily. 

I got some early advice about aging life and one must learn to endure what was once a beautiful and harming being shall ultimately ruin to ash. Thus, I shall be prepared to face old-age with good grace. 

After lunch, Abi Bogdpa goes for some rest with a nasal tube in her nose, Memay Rinchen quickly hold back his rosary beads and returns to solitude –prayers, hope and for some fresh air. 

With a little time left, she still feels happy and shares some wisdom. But, every passing day, Memay feels anxious about her deteriorating health condition. However, the past one-week was harder for her even with a breathing machine. Despite her condition, he only hopes she gets better and leaves for home someday happily.

Perhaps, more sad was they don't have someone to call their own children. So they are the Royal Kidu Recipient. Indeed, the Royal Kidu is really helping them to be on their own feet and lead a simple independent life. They're thankful to His Majesty The King for all the support and kindness. 

There couldn't be a more beautiful moment than sharing a few happy moments. Simple meals. Some personal journey. It was memorable and touching! They seem happy with whatever little meals and time my wife and I've shared with them. Although our stay was very brief, it was worth recalling. As we left the hospital door the following day, we left wishing, hoping and praying that someday, Abi Bogdpa, much like any one of us, can lead a happy and independent life. What shall the time take, together they must brave their unseen luck together -strong and united.

De-Suung Discipline

More than anything, De-Suung training is all about 

learning of DISCIPLINE. 

Discipline of speech,

Discipline of ego!

Discipline of manners,

Discipline of dress code,

Discipline of time, and 

Discipline of bed.

Simple thing like arranging bed and keeping personal 

belongings in a limited space is nothing impossible.

This room had housed almost 40 male De-Suups and

nothing was like in the common room, 

it was well-organized.

  Shoe and the slippers had their own space.

The art of arranging and organizing the room 

doesn't depend upon any special training.

Missing this training at Jigmeling Police Training Center 

(2020)

Damphu CS Old Block in Need for a Facelift

Old Teacher to New Teacher, departing message to my old colleagues

As I joined my new school today, I'm compelled by my conscience to leave this group, a group I've remained close for so many years. 

It is extremely hard for me to take this decision, in fact a very hard decision to leave this group. However, in life, we encounter such proceedings on and off in different forms and learning to adjust is the only way forward for a Homo sapiens survival chain. As I leave this group, I'll keep all the beautiful memories made together in rest of my life. I've left behind Zhemgang only to resuscitate my family choice and not for other reasons. For any other reasons, I wouldn't have left Kheng. But in life, we come to a point where we are compelled to choose and be with, thus I took this frost journey to be with my family. 

I thank you all for being more than a wonderful colleague both professionally and personally. All I can remember is that we all have made history together that can last forever with Zhemgang Central School. For each moment of my life, I'd remain obliged to all our management teams, colleagues, staff and students for the love and support I got all my stay. 

Zhemgang was beautiful only because of you all. 

 Lastly, please forgive me for my misdoing and rudeness if any of you've come across. It was never intentional, never to hurt anyone anyways lah. 

As I close my lines, I want to quote Albert Einstein "a person who never made a mistake never tried anything new". 

 Thus, we are bound to make endless mistakes, which show all of us are working for the common goals only to benefit our innocent kids. Please, accept my sincere apology…sincerely!!! 

                   This is my final words for ZCS group friends...Life must go on...

March 18, special day

As you turn 4 years today, your Ama and I 

pray for your good health. 

Caption

"Ageing is simply a death blue print. 

Strength comes from willingness and lifestyle"

"Washing of hands keeps germs at bay 

but year 2020 is for the Novel Coronavirus" 

"Often many believe serving food through
this bamboo basket tastes better and more Bhutanese. 
This is truly our foundation –the unique national identity"

"Sometimes a great catch becomes a great meal. 

This is the cycle everyone must endure in ecosystem –life-and-death"

"The road that takes home is not always
beautiful but death defying too.
One single turn can cause a great fatal" 

How bad is a Happy Nation?

Chocolate or food wrappers, papers, napkins, pet bottles, E-waste top the trash list that are in fact greatly impacting the world environment today. Everyone is equally responsible, no matter where one lives and what background one comes from. However, recent news on waste issues isn't welcoming –"same old wastes around tourist destinations even without a single foreign visitor". This headline is so blind. This is very unlikely. This can likely to cause a national shame. 

 

Perhaps dumping waste in the right place is completely an "individual or personal choice" but very "secret service" to the nation. Whatever –the blame game is worsening our domestic problem and reputation all these years. 

 

We're into an extremely critical time of who'd take care of our waste. For quite long, I've been doing a decent job of not littering at least whatever I produce both at home and workplace. As always I dump my waste mindfully –no matter what situation I come across or wherever I go or whatever I take. I always take trash as an individual "moral responsibility". I take a chance to share my concern on the environment and waste issues, and of course I take pride in educating my kids back home on proper waste management. I strongly believe home culture makes a difference in the life of everyone. At the same time, I keep educating our young school children to be responsible on waste or trash they produce – eat whatever comes your way, but be responsible on the waste you produce, size doesn't matter, after all waste is a waste and it causes harm to our environment and other animals that coexist with humans. Therefore, please put it in the right place. Before I begin my day's lesson I also make sure that the classroom is kept clean, dustbins are emptied and no single piece of waste is littered around.  

However, during this pandemic a group of tour guides are fruitfully engaging in several cleaning campaigns all around and at the same time creating awareness to the general public. But the very next day the littering of trash around seems almost the same. Nevertheless, they deserve our sincere credit for their good work. Similarly, thromde, municipal and other relevant stakeholders are equally fighting hard in keeping every part of the country clean and litter free is something commendable, but most of their time and effort are going in vain. Therefore, to be more successful towards keeping a clean environment, or litter free, the good habit should begin at home; good parenting and a credible education system can go a long way in curbing this issue. 

What can an individual do for this challenge is very simple yet very secret and special for the country. We need a "third eye" to see this perennial issue. Also making a reliable and affordable means of reducing waste at source can make our environment litter-free or clean to live in. Nevertheless "mentality" and "civic sense" can be a game changer. It is an inexpensive program.