Dinner in Myanmar

Guys, I had an overwhelming experience recently, thanks to the business trip to Myanmar.

For those who do not know, Myanmar is going through a rough time where the internal war has been going on for years. Most people say it’s not safe to go there since the death toll for civilians is increasing daily. Moreover, recently a high magnitude earthquake also happened in Myanmar, which devastated the country’s citizens, causing infrastructure to collapse, and people are still missing these days.

Still I took the business trip. There were many things that happened on the trip, but one thing I really saw: the chaos of the country was impacting all the people involved. We had a few colleagues in Myanmar, and seeing them go through the struggle really brought me a new perspective. We had a dinner together, and the joy of just being able to sit down and enjoy the moment was already enough for us to look forward to the brighter chapters.

The perspective of feeling grateful for what I am, feeling thankful because we’re still living in a peaceful moment. Some of my colleagues’ family members had even gone, and their houses were also taken away or destroyed by the earthquake. It’s humbling to see how strong the Myanmar people are, fighting every day to survive and thrive.

In the trip, I also visited the Buddhist temple which is 2,500 years old. I saw a lot of people there to pray, to sit, and even to do nothing. Somehow I think no matter how difficult life is, if we learn from the Buddha’s teaching: things always happen to teach us something in life. No matter how difficult and challenging it is, instead of blaming how bad or unlucky it is, we should find the lessons within, and no matter what, do not give up.