My January the 1st was a rum one, that with some minor work-related hiccups translating into rather personal misgivings and etc etc… But it ended well. That made me realize: I can’t quite comprehend the power of this very own brain of mine to wander – over vales and clouds – thinking many thoughts and ideas a second. How incredible!
But back to my topic. The good ending was actually an epiphany – although I don’t know if I can call it one; perhaps calling it a fleeting notion is insulting to the gravity and universality of such a realization. Any roads, it is this:
Since time immemorial, humans have looked up to strong leaders. In ancient societies, tribes counted on a strong person who could guide them safely to food, shelter and clothing. Families flourished – more or less – by the virtue of strong family heads, and political clans prospered by the visionary leadership of exceptional ones. Needless to say, bad leaders led their packs ashtray.
That must beg the question: Why this seemingly random thought on a new year’s day?
Well, I think in part because I often underestimate the difficulties of being a good leader and in part because we tend to appreciate a little too less the value of good leadership for our prosperity and development. I think that nowadays, quite a few of us live in social and familial circles where we are are taught to distrust authority and banish all of them as mere bureaucracies and inefficiencies in a teeming sea of works. We appreciate a little less the social hierarchies glueing our societies together just because of a few bad examples of despots and self-seeking political leaders elsewhere. We overestimate a little too much our own capabilities to do good and do well.
And I am aware that in a Freudian world gone super real, I might be voicing my own self more than I am sharing an observation about any populace in general, but all I am saying is that I – we – need to really, wholeheartedly, appreciate strong and visionary leadership who will guide our beloved Bhutan to a good and prosperous future. And who is more able than our great Gyalpo? It is wholly because I am inspired by the visionary and compassionate leadership of our K5 that I write this in the first place.
I think that in these days of ever-shifting political allegiance, get-rich-quick business dealings and political patch-works that are the solutions our representatives deal out to solve our many challenges, it is ever more important to maintain our strong faith in the ability and grace of our great kings to lead us towards a vibrant and sustainable future.
For my part, I can only humbly pledge to do my best to serve my beloved Tsa Wa Sum.
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