Happiness Abounds

imageA few mornings ago this bright beaming nun waddled up to Ken and I while we waited for our driver to pick us up at the bottom of the hill below the resort. The bundled up nun had a piece of gum for each of us. She didn't speak a word of English. I insisted she have one of my Newman's Ginger chews but she shook her head, spoke in Dzongkha and pointed to her mouth. I thought maybe she was saying she didn't have the teeth for it but she took a piece and wandered quickly away. Yesterday the smiling nun showed up again with a fistful of candy. When she placed a piece of "Liebe Milk" candy in my hand I said the Dzongkha word for "thank-you." She said in clear English, "I just love you" before she turned around and walked off with that contagious smile on her face. I dropped my pack and ran after her to get this photo. She squealed in surprise when she saw us in my cell phone camera. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and squeeze her but she was quickly off again - walking and smiling. Moments later I climbed into the back of the truck with a pack of cheerful Bhutanese carpenters. Each morning I stand behind the cab to take in the endlessly fascinating views and gulp the fresh Himalayan air. Yesterday I grinned giddily with a gift of candy in my mouth and an overwhelming sense of love, wonder, joy and purpose.