MISSED TRAIN

As the second semester final examinations came to an end, a glimpse of relief and exhilaration grew in the hearts of Bhutanese students studying at Lovely University. These students had made reservations for their train tickets three months prior. The last paper for M.A Social Sciences and History students was held on May 15th, 2013. The charm of going back to their homeland could not be awaited, and everyone started packing their bags and preparing to leave on May 16th at 9:00 AM as per the train schedule.

At 7:00 AM, a cohort of Bhutanese students hired an auto to reach Phagwara Train Station, where they would board the train. The train arrived exactly at the stipulated time and announced that it would wait for only two minutes. Everyone rushed to locate their designated compartment (boogey), but the many passengers embarking and disembarking left people stranded in queues. With their strength and determination, all the friends were able to board the train while it was still in slow motion. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for me. When I was about to get in, the train had already picked up full speed. I found myself dragging my luggage and chasing the train like a dog chasing a deer. "Leave the luggage, we will take care of it!" Tandin exclaimed. Despite their efforts, I was left behind, my heart thudding heavily. Lots of thoughts and feelings messed up my mind.

 

I was worried about missing my train, but my friends reassured and encouraged me. When the second train arrived at 9:30 AM, we boarded within two minutes. We had booked Second Air Conditioner Class, and Sonam Wangdi cautioned us to hide in the toilet when the conductor came for ticket checking. Tandin Wangchuk pretended to go to the bathroom, and Jigme revealed the ticket to the conductor. Thankfully, the conductor didn't spot me, and Sonam Wangdi told me that I was 99.9% safe. I felt relieved and grateful to my friends and God. Tandin Wangchuk said, "You have been good, God sees the truth." We arrived comfortably in New Delhi after a six-hour journey from Phagwara, Punjab, India.

My friends told me the story of the train I missed and said it was lucky I wasn't on it. They had a bad experience in the sleeper class, which is cheap but risky. They learned that cheaper prices come at the cost of comfort. This experience taught me that everything happens for a reason, and it's usually for the best.

I am grateful for my friends who showed me the true meaning of friendship. They were there for me in my time of need, and I remain indebted to them. "A friend in need is a friend indeed." Thank you, friends!

At 12:00 midnight, we all boarded the train together at New Delhi Train Station, bound for different destinations from New Jaipaiguri. We exchanged good wishes and bid each other farewell, grateful for the time we had spent together.

THE PARADOX OF OUR AGE

We have bigger houses but smaller families;

More conveniences, but less time;

We have more degrees, but less sense;

More knowledge, but less judgment;

More experts, but more problems;

More medicines, but less healthiness;

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,

But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We built more computers to hold more

Information to produce more copies than ever,

But have less communication;

We have become long on quantity,

But short on quality.

These are times of fast foods

But slow digestion;

Tall man but short character;

Steep profits but shallow relationships.

It’s a time when there is much in the window,

But nothing in the room.

H. H. The XIVth Dalai Lama.

New Year Eve

Tibetans celebrate New Year with the same enthusiasm as Westerners do for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and birthdays. However, New Year for Tibetans holds a deeper meaning than just the start of a new life. It signifies that we are moving closer towards death. There is a story that once in Tibet, people were celebrating New Year with lots of fun and joy. The streets and houses were festooned with colorful balloons, hydraulic lights, and decorations. But the spiritual Master Patrul Rinpoche was weeping at the corner of his room, which surprised and concerned the people. They asked Rinpoche what had happened, and he replied, "Another year is gone by, and so many people have come one year closer to death, still unprepared."

The New Year's Eve of 2013 was celebrated in Chautra, Maldi, Himachal Pradesh, India at one of the Tibetan inns. During the celebration, Nidup Dolker, a friend, drank wine and fell asleep before midnight. Another friend, Poy, also slumped and could not wait for the New Year. Nonetheless, Poy made a remarkable resolution to become a vegetarian for the year 2013.

During the two-month period when Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche presided over eight Buddhist religious teachings at his Sakya Institute in Chautra, Himachal Pradesh, thousands of devotees gathered to receive empowerment and transmission. At this time, many of us made religious-centered resolutions, such as my personal commitment to chanting mantras at least once a day to benefit all sentient beings.