Shifting Lenses

During the Lunar New Year holiday, my family and I visited Luang Prabang, Laos, a destination where the history and architecture immediately impressed us. Less developed than nearby countries such as Thailand or Vietnam, the town possessed an unexpectedly small and somewhat calm atmosphere. Another thing of note was that the smell of polluted air occasionally reminded me of my memories of living in Beijing. Our visit was greatly enriched by our tour guide, a kind and accepting former monk of twenty years. His joy was palpable, and his devotion to his children’s education was evident as he often spoke of them, referring to his daughter as his ‘little princess.’ What struck me most was the widespread gratitude and happiness of our guide and the local people, a stark contrast to the often relentless pursuit of more and the accompanying dissatisfaction I’ve often observed in the USA, Singapore, and China. It seems that in Laos, the desire for progress didn’t create an automatic discontentment with the present—a valuable lesson in perspective from which I think many cultures could benefit.