While I wait!

Among other gloomy visitors wishing to never ever return.

To hospital or to doctor.

I sit on a cold steel chair in the foyer. 

With a blank dull OPD sheet in my hand.

Call bell blares endlessly from inside the doctor's chamber.

While i wait for my turn outside

I am forced to retrospect on the following line,

'Hospital is akin to our life',

Like good friends, elders and our parents 

Doctors are our well wishers

They present to you the best possible way.

For they think good of us always. 

Prescribed drugs are doses of motivation and inspiration.

Aspiring human to perform better 

Like they subdue the bloated surface or kill harmful bacteria.

Removes your self-doubt and weaknesses

Making the perfect that you were or Sometime ever better. 

Diagnoses are failures in life

You then know what to do and to avoid.

You have better choices to make.

The destiny you wish to create.

Getting discharged from hospital bed is equal to learning a valuable lessons of life.

The 'second chances' you may call them.

It makes you realise how much you have missed from life.

The moments you can't pay to get them back.

Sadness and happiness 

Hope and desperation

Breath and breathless

Like the moments in our life

The hospital's corridors and

The whitewashed walls have heard and seen them all.

We have to wait for good news or for bad.

Be humble and always be positive .

Life and hospital aren't a pizza stand.

In life and in hospital

You only get what you need

And not what you want! 

I think..Life and hospital resemble  each other in many ways.

They complement each other too.

'Hospital is akin to our life'

My  this retrospection is brought to stand still

When I heard the call bell and saw my service  number on the screen

Thus I didn't have to wait anymore

To meet one life to make the other one better!

Loneliest cry

Loneliest cry of a differently abled 3 years old boy in my neighbourhood makes my heart ache. 

He has the loveliest smile on that lovely face flawlessly designed for  whoever walks across his small lawn.

His eyes move along with his wide-selfless smile on those  'moving' feet that he only wish to have.

He does have a pair of legs to call it so 

but are useless like those  memories that adorne his widow mother.

For his dad was too good for this world he had to leave him when he was too young in the arms of his ailing mother.

Now the ailing mother has a rich memories of her three years old son. His legs cant move but his smile and words move her enough. Touchs her heart and endlessly bring a pool of tears.

Like a loving mother she doesn't want to get separated from her only son. How much better he is taken care of she claims to give him the very best.

I know it's the warmth of a mother taking better of her now. The warmth is speaking aloud for her action but who knows the son would have wished for something different? When he gets the sense of the situation! 

I pray 'someone' with bigger heart walks across his small lawn someday soon.

Not to let his eyes and smile move along with those 'walking' feet but to hold him up and show a whole new world to him. 

For sure those wide-selfless smile will move you too 

Equally or even more i dont know But those loneliest cry of the differently abled 3 years old boy keeps aching my heart! 

I am a humble teacher: An accidental Poem!

I am a humble teacher.

I must remain humble.

I must behave like  a noble person

Because I have a noble job.

A 'nobel job'

That's society's rich vocab to cajole us with.

I must always live up to their expectations.

An exemplary example I must always be.

If a child fails in his test

I am indirectly blamed for it.

If he gets through with flying colours 

I am told that the kid was born intelligent. 

I cannot make a noise about it because I am a humble teacher.

When I ask for a decent table to work on in the staff-room

I am informed that classroom is the place I should spend much of my time.

If I request a leave for some personal work

I am accused of not prioritising what is more important. 

I must not complain about it

Because I am a humble teacher.

When I ask for medical leave

I am made to realize that I am no more fit for the job.

When I am late by few minutes 

My punctuality is questioned.

They are least bothered of how I  manage my home and work.

I cannot bother them too because I am a humble teacher.

When I question authorities about 

Inequality and need for more transperancy

My integrity for the organisation is questioned.

I shouldn't question them twice because I am a humble teacher.

If I keep pestering my boss

They have many weapons to suppress me

Promotion process or the next increment 

The Pandora box is wide open for them

I shouldn't rest my mind too much on it

 because I am a humble teacher. 

If I do something good
It takes ages to receive the due appreciation
A mistake is a sin!
My productivity is in jeopardy
I must ease the situation
Forget and forgive everyone
 because I am a humble teacher

If I am critical
Or always righteous in my conduct
I am seen as a threat
Nepotism and favouritism shouldn't be questioned.
Be a best 'yes' man ever
Thus you and your job is secured
But I should always serve the organisation more than my boss
Because I am a humble teacher.

When I request for a slight raise in my salary.

I am told I am not worthy for it.

"What have you done extra" is the only response.

Or my lessons are observed more often so to discover some flaws.

I shouldn't accuse the authorities because I am a humble teacher.

I am told to buy new clothes

Because mine looks quite faded.

They saw me only of my attair.

Who bothers my lonely feelings inside.

I must not voice it out loud
 because I am a humble teacher.  

If I fail to discipline a child

My ability is doubted.

If a child learns to mend his manners 

At the end of the day

The credit goes home along with the kid.

I must not take credits for anything because 

I am a humble teacher.  

When I refuse to pay a heed to any donation

I am told I am acting cheap or not fit for a civilized society.

And its funny 

The world is blind on the same pair of shoes 

that have served me for 4 long years.

In the name of monitoring and leadership exhibition

 Administrators are always punitive.

I am requested to buy materials for my own teaching 

because budget is not sufficient. 

I must not complain about all these because I am a humble teacher .

The academic year comes to an end.

Children are promoted  to next higher grade.

The grade of the teacher remains the  same.

Only his age goes up.
The faded clothes and the pair of shoes remain the same. 

'One more year it should last,' he prays. 

Amidst the prayers his heart glows with pride 

That he has built a nation far much richer and better

Through knowledge he shared with his kids.

Yet the world rewards him with almost dead silence 

Because they only have a richest vocab to honour his hardwork. 

Their Heart remains in their cold chest
and hands in their tight pockets. 

A "Nobel job" their silence screams aloud once again!

 Thus I beg to remain a humble teacher. 

A Valedictorian's Speech!

Honourable chief guest, distinguished parents, teachers, and most importantly the monsters of the class of 2017. I’m Chimmi Lhamo (one of the monsters) and I am honoured to speak as a Valedictorian today. 

First of all, I think I speak on behalf of all of us when I say I am still shocked as to how we managed to take third positon within the whole country! I’m sure it wasn’t only me who couldn’t believe it when I saw the news. Nevertheless, congratulations! To both the students and the teachers. We got through the hell of class ten.

I would firstly like to thank the teachers for all their hard work and for believing in us. Now if I start to list everything you did for us, the list would go on and on for who-knows-long. 

So thank you teachers, especially Madam Sonika who is actually one of a kind. I mean, you don’t always see a teacher give her students a mini tea party because they’re tired from working. You don’t always see a teacher give her students a chocolate each with a supportive message. You don’t always see a teacher giving her twenty six students a pen refill and a pencil each with their name on it. Thank you mam, for being not only a biology teacher, but a parent, a sister, a friend… To us, you are the world’s best class teacher and will always be. I don’t think I can imagine life at school without you to support us all the way.

Even if we were so demotivated and difficult to deal with, you never gave up on us and it is thanks to you that we are here today as proud graduates. 

Okay, I’ve thanked the teachers. But honestly? The most important people we have to thank are each other. From all the times we got into trouble to all the crazily funny moments, all the tests we forgot to study for and all the homework we didn’t do. All the rules we’d “bend”. We went through everything together. We didn’t exactly have that sense of unity back then, but when you look back on the memories, you’ll realize that stuff is more important in life than all we’ve learnt from books and tests. After all, it is the lessons we learn through memories that actually shapes our lives in the future.

On that note, remember when the entire class got a punishment just because Tenpa played with a snowball? We were deprived of our HPE class and everyone was so mad, but then later mam Sonika felt sorry and forgave us.

Remember all the nicknames we had for each other? No one in the class was left behind. We got used to some of our nicknames so much that the person’s real name started to sound weird after a while.

Remember the farewell thrown by the same people who threw our graduation ceremony today? When the chicken song suddeny started playing and all of us laughed because we got the joke, but then some teachers didn’t and they looked so blank it was even funnier.

Thank you for all the memories. Even if we didn’t go for the trip to Laya or the annual class tens’ camping trip, we still managed to make the year pretty meaningful. No, scratch that. It was really meaningful.

Nine years ago I was excited for my first day here at Druk School but I had no idea about the implications of the journey I was about to begin. I had no idea that after first grade there would be a second grade and third grade and so on. I was just excited to be in first grade.

Today, I know that I am standing on the brink of my future- the first day of the rest of my life.

Some of us here today, including our parents, are wondering how our lives are going to turn out. It is okay to wonder but, I also think it is important to realize that our future is not just something that happens to us, It is up to us to create.

So, fellow graduates, I urge you today to embrace the opportunity before you. Take what you have learned, not only through books, throughout the last eleven years and put it to good use.

Bring forward with you the lessons that will be the working parts of your greatest invention ever- your life! Congratulations!

A letter to myself to jumpstart 2018!

Dear Gayatri Bhandari

For sure the year 2017 was very memorable for you. Thus, I would like to make a special announcement here. There can’t be better year than 2017 to start a sacred journey of writing a letter to you on the first day of each commencing year henceforth. Through the letter I would like to share my observations about how you justified the various roles you were deem to play as a responsible human being during the year 2017. Now without any further delay allow me to share.  

After leaving Trashi Yangtse in December 2011 you could meet again in 2017, though through Facebook, with all your students of Lichen Community Primary School where you had first begun your teaching career in the spring of 2010 and 2011. You must have given to the community more than you were paid for. The children had send Facebook friend request and you were ever ready to press the ‘Confirm’ button to accept their requests. Gayatri, the children that you had the privilege to teach have cherished each moment they had spent with you. Your genuine support lured them to connect with you after 6 years at least on the virtual world of Facebook and Messenger to know your whereabouts. They havn’t forgoten you. This only testifies that you had given your best in rendering your service as a teacher in a remote school. Life is rich if memories are. Cherish them. Treasure them.

The same spirit of contribution was seen in delivery of your duty in 2017. The preceding years were equally good but something more happened in 2017. It was a very successful academic year with many new initiates being institutionalized. With strong support from your teacher colleagues you could greatly involve yourself in conducting ‘Flag Day’ celebration, observing International Literacy Day, publication of School Magazine and conducting Mobile Film Competition. You got to thank enough the beautiful people you are blessed to be associated with. My best wishes for 2018 academic year friend!

This part of your story made me feel happy. Why? You had already spent seven long years and I didn’t want to see you leaving. I believe there is more that you can give. I am happy because you were also proactive in solidifying your career as an educationist in 2017. You wanted to earn a Teacher certification through your enrollment in Post Graduate Diploma in Education Course at Samtse College of Education. Because of the decision you made a year ago you have become better teacher today. Keep moving forward. Life will give you more if you give out more! 

The next two are milestones of your good life so far. 

It isn’t Tom, Dick and Harry’s cup of tea to write a book and get it published too. You could do it. And I am so proud of you. Friend, though it never could be a best seller as of now, you should always take pride for giving shape to your imagination in the form of a book. Hundreds of people only plan to write a book. 

I know the Proprietor of DSB Enterprise Mr. BP Bhatarai was generous enough to help you with the printing cost of the book but it was you who had put in all your creative juice to transform words and sentences into a story to share with the world. To help show a way to the lost ones. To make believe that gangsters and drug addicts need our support and intervention and not our swearing and ignorance. Your book entitled Eight: Nyingtob Tshering’s Amazing Journey couldn’t captivate the imagination of Bhutanese readers at large but you did what was right. A humble attempt from your side to correct the incorrect world. A personal legacy to be proud of. Don’t listen to the clatter of the world. It will test your patience and will leave no stone unturned to pull you down. You got to keep writing. Till the world gives you the due attention. Till the clatters are only in favor of you and your work. Till the world willingly give in or buy your idea.

Gayatri, I was very impressed while assessing the responsibilities you undertook and the very mindful decisions you made in your process of becoming a good father and a loving husband that you always dreamt of. Yes I am using the term ‘Process’ deliberately here because I know a lot of planning has gone into before you and Tara decided to be parents. Financial stability was number one priority. Only you and Tara understand it better. Thus collectively you and Tara had decided to put aside a special amount of money each month so you people could lavishly spend during the post-delivery period. That’s being wise and smart parents. Keep doing the best. 

For the following 9 months after Tara became pregnant I saw you responsibly taking care of what Tara should eat and what else she shouldn’t. The new sets of clothes for her to wear and the healthy and right fruits and vegetables to eat. From what good thoughts to think to what habits to avoid you were there to help her out. You didn’t let Tara do any household chores. You gave the best that you could. In fact you took more care of Tara during that beautiful 9 months and had often behaved like you had fallen in love with her again. That’s how it should be. You did what any loving husband should do during that period and you have passed the test with flying colors. And now like a real man you have been taking up responsibilities of a father. Both Tara and Yashayr are doing fine. Hats off friend. I am simply speechless. Keep rocking.

2018 is a brand new set of 360 plus days. Play tactfully! I should say. Yet you have to be humane in all roles you play. Keep showing gratitude. Always be humble.  Never give in or give up. Remain motivated and keep inspiring others. Be a caring son, best brother, a loving dad and husband, resourceful teacher and a responsible citizen.

With a promise that you would live your life fruitfully by making the best of all moments life has to offer you, allow me to take leave for now to meet you again on the first day of 2019! 

Sincerely