WE ARE DISPENSABLE
23 December, 2006 What do we do when we live through a remarkable period of history? His Majesty the King, in his National Day address, advised that we "reflect" on the momentous occasion to understand our responsibilities. We can interpret that as our new responsibilities.
His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck made sure that the Bhutanese people did not have time to plead against his abdication. In fact we did not have time to even think about it. The only people around His Majesty at the time were the Cabinet members, the Chief Justice, the Speaker of the National Assembly, and the Chief Election Commissioner and they were too stunned to make any substantive response.
What we can do now is to follow His Majesty's advice to reflect on the significance of such a historic event. The implications for us, as a population, and as individuals, is astounding. One of our first realizations is the lesson of impermanence.
We are here one day and gone the next. even Monarchs. Buddhism offers the teaching of impermanence in death, this month we saw the reality in life.
For some of us, it was a rude awakening. Being a dasho, a gup, a National Assembly member, a lyonpo, an army officer, in the larger perspective, is no big deal. Last week many of us were reminded that we are humble individuals as important, or as unimportant, as everyone else. If any of us believed that we were indispensable that belief came to an abrupt end.
Perhaps more important was the realisation that being a lyonpo, dasho, a military or civilian officer, a chimi or a gup is not a status but a responsibility. In that perspective we fulfill our responsibility or we move over. If His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, who forged history over the past three and a half decades, can make way for the next generation, all of us should recognise that we must all do the same at some stage.
Such a lesson could not come at a better time, on the eve of parliamentary elections when many Bhutanese citizens will be campaigning or reorganising themselves into various positions of leadership. Our new outlook gives us - or should give us - a good understanding of our positions and responsibilities.
Another profound lesson that comes out of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck's abdication is the unique ability to be detached from power. Again this is an invaluable lesson in a democracy where politicians are often immersed in a power game more than national leadership.
The question here is, are we entering politics or vying for other positions of leadership in the system because we believe we can contribute to nation building or because we like the idea of being important?
We have many questions to answer and, if we start asking them seriously, we are on our way.
~Responsibility is the price of greatness.
~ Source: Kuensel, Bhutan's National Newspaper.
