At Tashichho Dzong
Back from the "Land of Thunder Dragon", or what known as Bhutan to most of us and I think I left a part of myself there. Oh well, I guess I form attachment to things and people way too easily.
But I guess, like what the guide mentioned a few times, "Nothing is permanent". Haha, the sentence is probably one of the few things I remember among all of the things our guide shared on Buddhism. Okay, I do remember Guru Rinpoche, the 4 Guardian Kings and reincarnation as well. Maybe people only remember what they want to remember and well, the sentence stuck with me because it is something that I already strongly believe in - memento mori, which literally means remember you must die. Sidenote, here's a good article on it.
Before this trip, I thought my travel priorities were just food and nature. Japan? Most excited about ootoro sushi, Ichiran, tonkatsu and Mount Fuji. Australia? Beaches and the coffee. Bhutan? I didn't even know anything much about it before travelling there, other than it is a landlocked country that measures Gross National Happiness instead of GDP and there is a Tiger Nest Monastery nestled in the valley. After this trip, I guess I do travel for the interaction with the locals as well, albeit it wasn't a lot. 🤷 Hearing stories about what they like to do in the free time, their families etc.
Oh in case you were wondering, nope I didn't find the key to being happy. But I believe there's a difference between happiness and contentment. Perhaps it's something about the thought that nothing last forever that brings contentment. Or maybe it's the vast greenery.
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