Self- Discovery and Reflections of My College Days at Sherubtse, Kanglung (2002-2004)
The transition of my life was getting wider and unmanageable for my duties were heavier. There is no end to learning and for we all know that wisdom is as vast as sky. My dream was to major in Geography Honors at Sherubtse College but sadly I could not qualify with just one percentage point. The cut off point was 60% to be qualified and I secured only 59%. The options I was left with were Economics and English Honors only. It was sure, if I opt for economics, I would struggle with mathematics and statistics at Sherubtse that I don't want to happen. Our life has plenty of choices but very tough to choose the right subject was unimaginable and stressful. Therefore, I left it for my karmic wind to decide where I should fly to get good result and achievements.
Finally I landed up with English Honors as my major in college that lasted for three years. Truly and frankly speaking, my English was never good in those high school days. I used to score, just above fifty percentage only. The magic happened in life, with my English mark that I scored at Drugyel Higher Secondary School was 78% which I never expected in my dream. It was really unbelievable and beyond my thought. My gratitude purely goes to our best and brilliant English teacher Mr. K.C Jose hailing from India. He was the one who made me what I am today. My best wishes and sincere prayer goes to Mr. K.C Jose for shifting my life to the world of literature that I never dreamed to join. That was the force of my karmic wind showing the correct path to tread on.
The major events that I could recollect at Sherubtse college were playing carom board at upper market with friends when we get free time. Watching some beautiful college girls moving up and down for dating were the most favorite activity. Most of the time I would be with my friend Kibu Zangpo, who is working as an Election Officer in Bhutan doing meditations and recitations of my Ngondro (preliminary practices) at his house situated just five minute walk away from college. We used to go out and help the farmers to collect their paddy and crops during free time. My passion for drinking habit was high along with watching Hindi movies in those college days as energetic man.
By the evening hours, I used to walk towards, the "kissing point" for fresh air breathing and watching the Ronthung village evening scene with many cars passing by. It was fun and wonderful that many of my friends would come out for dating with their girlfriends to this "kissing point" but I never had any girlfriend at Sherubtse. It was another failure part of my love story that readers may rejoice and feel emphatic to me. Our life is mixture of success and failure stories that makes complete and enjoyable when recollected. I really did not remember, whether I approached any girls for partnership? My memories are dead and gone. May be my friends could recollect my incidents and comment on it. That was how my first year at Sherubtse college ended without much memories to carry with me.
I was struggling to complete my Ngondro practices in the hostel with prostrations of 100,000 counts that I received from Kadam Rinpoche, Mongar during my vacation. That was another major transition happened to my life. I was walking in the right direction, being guided by the forces of Karmic wind, to make my life precious and priceless. At the same time, I was trying to kill two birds with one stone. It was my studies and Dharma practice. The unshakable faith and trust in Dharma pushed me further however it was difficult to cope with. I did not leave any pages un-flipped in the quest of Knowledge, wisdom and Dharma to understand myself.
My country men, Tsheten Chophel, majoring in B.Com Honors was crying and walking in the heavy downpour one night. I really did not understand what went wrong with him in those days. May be the rejection of love and family problem were his reasons for sobbing deeply. It was beyond my control and help. I felt his pain and agony at my delicate heart but left without any solutions. The fact of our life is, that an individual pains and suffering differ at every level depending on situations and person that we are. Even the twins will have different taste of sufferings.
The most memorable event that shaped my life was the meeting with my would be wife in Sherubtse college. Mr. Tshering Tenzin, who majored in B.Com Honors was another influencing friend in the sphere of love and Dharma. We were indeed, religious brother, since we received same teachings from Kadam Rinpoche, Lama Karma Wangdi. The forces of karmic wind stopped blowing with me for three years in field of love. I was alone doing my studies and Dharma practices like chanting mantras of healing power. Just loitering around the clock tower feeling shy and blush with Mr. Tshering Tenzin. We saw one of the college Librarian girls passing by us through the basket ball court. We really don't have much contact before or conversation as such.
To my surprise, Mr. Tshering Tenzin who is working as an Audit in Bumthang District suggested me to tease that girl with proposals for love affairs which I consented if my luck and cupid's arrow would favor me. We knew that she was very devoted lady in Threlma Practice (Dakini Offering Practice). We assumed that we were perfect in Threlma Practice and if she is interested to learn from us which we were not indeed. The magic worked really and our plan was responded with positive smile and acceptance from her to teach her in the evening hours.
Her good name was Ms. Pema Deki, working as Assistant Librarian hailing from Khandrophug, Serthig gewog under Samdrup Jonkhar, looking innocent and highly devoted to Buddha Dharma which I liked the most. We really blackmailed the Buddha Dharma for love and relationship that worked well; thinking in positive manner, Dharma is to serve the sentient beings in different situations. That was true in the case of me. It helped me to find my future wife who will share her happiness, pain, sadness, and energy to succeed as married couple hereafter. My gratitude goes to Dakini Threlma Nagmo for providing me the correct and truly devoted wife that I was longing for to live with in this dream like life. Moreover, my sincere thanks goes to Mr. Tshering Tenzin for his brilliant ideas in the field of love and Dharma. May your dreams come true and wishes be fulfilled by the blessing of Triple Gem.
Having celebrated brief moments of our marriage party with friends were really memorable in life. During that party, Mr. Kibu Zangpo was the head cook who is really expert in cooking meals. I am very grateful, for his time and energy spared. The party was being blessed by my good friends and Mr. Sonam Tshering (College Bus driver) and his wife Mrs. Tandin Wangmo with their wishes of Tashi Khadar for the couples. It was their prayers and wishes helped to pass through many difficulties in the field of married life that I encountered as of now. Having added another burden in life as a married man on top of studies and Dharma works. Life has to move on and living has to made in any way. The days in the college came to an end when I finally appeared final exams in third year in December 2004. The happiest moment to remember was the first birth of my eldest daughter, Bumpa Lhamo at Tashigang hospital in 2005. That was the first gift of my married life with beloved wife Pema Deki and another duty added up for us to bring up.
During the delivery, it was Anna Seldon (adopted sister to Mr. Sonam Tshering, driver) and her husband based in Tashigang who helped us with her foo stuff and other supports. Life without job was really tough and worrisome. Waiting for the results and hoping to join the civil service that I am destined to was my unshakable dream. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Anna Seldon showing her activity of Bodhisattva act. Your help and sacrifice was wonderful and cherishing in my life in times of hard.
The life at Sheruntse college with family came to an end when I started my another journey towards Thimphu in the search of job in civil service sector by July 2005 leaving behind my wife and daughter with heavy heart.
written by: Mindu Wangdi
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