My Answer in the Words of My Monarch

Photo Courtesy: Dorji Wangchuk

Ever since a graduate student in Syracuse University asked me this question -"what is the thing that keeps Bhutanese people happy?", I have been searching for an answer and I am almost growing old. 

It wasn't the economic development that we have achieved so far, otherwise Americans would have been the happiest people in the world followed by Chinese and Japanese.  It wasn't the LDC status that we still continue to languish in,  otherwise Burundi and Congo would have had the title. Perhaps it must be the geographical location- but then, how come others who dwell in and around this mountain range are not necessarily known for happiness? Nah- I bet it's not the looks of the Bhutanese people that mattered for our happiness,- there are Koreans and Indians who are better known for it and they aren't the happiest people either. 

The answer lies in the word of my Beloved Monarch -His Majesty the 5th King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.- it came in the State Banquet Address to the joint session of the parliament in Tokyo, Japan during his State visit .

He said, " Bhutanese continue to live lives of simplicity and modesty that foster a deep sense of harmony among our people...." 

Yes! there it is. It is indeed the nature of the people of Bhutan that mattered all together at the end of the day. -the simplistic nature, the modest nature, the level of contentment even though we may be the poorest on earth. The sense of harmony, I guess, is the bi-product of simplicity and modesty.

If so, where lies the challenge now? - in creating happiness or maintaining happiness?