This week Awesome Stories brings you Bhutan’s success, depression, and kindness.
The Humanizing of Depression
What hurts you blesses you. Darkness is your candle. ~ Rumi
This article by Parker Palmer touched me deeply. Like Parker, having gone through a long bout of depression, I relate to his take on finding meaning from the experience. During the depression, I could barely function and certainly didn’t have the perspective to find meaning or any way out. Thankfully, mine passed with time. He and many others need the help of professionals, medicine, and more. I hope with courageous people like Parker who are willing to talk about their depression, we can remove the shame and misunderstanding. And boy could I relate to the part where people seem afraid of you and want to avoid you due to the depression. I wonder if it is because so many of us feel depressed or down and are fearful that being around someone else who is depressed will bring us down into a deep dark place. Coming out the other side of depression, we find ourselves more compassionate and unafraid to be with people who are depressed or not upbeat. Our culture is obsessed with positivity, yet expresses so much fear, anger, and violence. As Parker Palmer exclaims when talking about someone experiencing depression, “Welcome to the human race!” Maybe it’s time we stop being afraid of death and darkness. They’re a natural part of the human experience.
Bhutan’s Success
I admire Bhutan’s commitment to conscious growth balancing economic growth with social development, environmental sustainability, and cultural preservation. They are the worlds’ first (and only) carbon negative nation, absorbing four times as much CO2 as they emit. This was accomplished with enlightened leadership from the king and prime minister. First, they created a new measure of growth called Gross National Happiness built on four pillars; sustainable growth, environmental protection, cultural preservation, and good governance. For example, by law, 60% of the land must be forested. They are currently at 72%! As they build their economy, then plan to do so in sustainable ways like partnering with Nissan to use electric cars and buses. They also plan for net zero waste and 100% organic food production. I hope more countries are willing to make such strong commitments to sustainable growth.
Kindness on the Nightshift
There are so many ways this story could have gone wrong. Instead, it becomes a heartwarming story of kindness reciprocated by strangers in the night. Richard Whittaker tells an engaging story of scrambling to find a room late at night and dealing with a host of challenges during the check-in process. Clearly, the staff was overloaded. Gradually, Richard shifted from an outsider and stranger who wanted a room to a person engaged in the well being of the staff. His engagement and kindness were returned in a touching way. Read the whole Nightshift at the Marriot story for the happy ending.
May we embrace the full range of our human journey from kindness and joy to death and despair.
What a beautiful group of stories! AND no charge! 🙂
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Ha, ha. Would you like to pay? 🙂
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Oh Brad… That was a most Excellent share my friend.. I watched the video right through And found what Bhutan are doing is extraordinary And its commitment is wonderful.. I followed a further link too, which added more info, saying that anyone cutting down a tree even for fire wood had to have permission.. And wonderful that they have free education and health care, and giving free electricity to farmers, etc..
Seeing the effects of that Glazier over the last twenty year and how it has now formed a lake. It is a very important share..
The speech here is awesome.. as is your highlighting it my friend..
Thank you so much..
Sue 🙂
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You are sincerely welcome Sue. The commitment of Bhutan’s leadership is inspiring and shows a better way of governing and living. May more countries follow their inspiring example.
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Oh for the day Brad, Oh for the day 🙂
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A grand dream/ vision!
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Yes.. One that is Possible if we Believe in it.. 🙂
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What a great share. This shows how economic transformation, sustainability, and social responsibility all come down to choice. The hard work can be done with vision and a will. Thanks for the smile!
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Agreed Diana. We can choose this.
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Lovely stories, Brad. very uplifting on a Saturday.
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Thanks!
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Thank you for the beautiful stories. I have read tonnes about Bhutan and planned to visit there one day in future. I guess we can have a happy place like Bhutan in our community today if we practice simplicity and moderation.
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You’re most welcome Mintly. Visiting Bhutan sounds wonderful, and yes, we can create a better place where we are.
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We could learn so much from Bhutan! A carbon-neutral nation!? That BLOWS ME AWAY!! Wow. And yesterday I got a National Geographic in the mail: Singapore, Denmark and Costa Rica are three of the most joyful places in the world…ah, I’m feeling a bit of “comparison syndrome” but perhaps enough changemakers can change the landscape and economy of the US someday…soon. 😉
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I agree with you about Bhutan. I’m beginning to lose hope for the US and considering moving. 😦
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Another warmly inspiring collection, thanks Brad. I was touched by the interview with Parker J Palmer, and Bhutan is a powerful positive example of what can be done with sufficient will, wisdom, and a sense of community. The final story is really beautifully shared, and I can really see he situation and feel for the people involved. Blessings of awesomeness to you and yours Brad. Hugs H xxx
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Thank you Harula. I find much wisdom in Parker Palmer’s words and books. And I’m grateful for the leadership of Bhutan, Parker, you, me, and the many others working to spread love and kindness.
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Awesome! Beautiful stories all of them, but the Marriott night shift story was the most wonderful in my book today…maybe because I recently stayed at some many different hotels.
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Thanks Helen. I’m glad you can relate and are safely back from your travels. Hugs!
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Wow…you did it again Brad! Love the Kindness on the Nightshift…how inspirational!! Really moving and with such simple kindness and patience!! Love the goal Bhutan has set for itself…
Depression: I hear what you are saying….people do not want to talk about it. I think more people suffer from depression than either admit it to themselves and or others. There are such varying degrees of depression and ways to treat it. I think it’s a shame…..spoken from someone who has been there!!
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Thanks for your support and being a kindred spirit Kirt. I’m glad you’ve made it through the challenge of depression. No doubt the world needs more love, compassion, and inspired leaders like in Bhutan.
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It can rear it’s ugly head from time to time, but I at least understand it and know how to cope. Thanks…again great post!
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That’s great Kirt. I still wrestle with depression occasionally.
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“Maybe it’s time we stop being afraid of death and darkness. They’re a natural part of the human experience.” Thank you for that!! Being comfortable with the fact that this life is the life we have and will ever get – that’s a challenge for all, isn’t it?
Ellington
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Indeed. It’s an ease concept but hard to face death. Welcome to our community, Brad
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Brad, I’m amazed that you keep finding such great sources of content to share with us. Parker Palmer’s interview resonated with me in a way that someone who hasn’t “been there” could not induce. It’s uplifting, inspiring even, without promising a cure, or even SEEKING a cure. For me, that acceptance of darkness, depression, as an integral component of the human experience is so profoundly true that it is almost beautiful. Loved it. Namaste my friend.
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Agreed Gabe. I also resonate with Parker Palmer’s message and authenticity as someone who has lived it. I’m glad you can embrace the darkness so lovingly. Kudos!
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It’s been four hectic days in a row, and I deliberately saved your post to read in a calm moment. I always do. Three very uplifting stories, Brad.
Parker Palmer is so right about depression: it is as if one becomes the darkness, and at the very time you need the energy to fight your way out, you are too exhausted to do so. The problem is that if you haven’t had depression, it’s almost impossible to understand it.
The story of the couple and the two young hotel workers all placed in a trying situation is lovely. It could, as you say, have gone another way entirely, but for the grace of all involved.
And Bhutan: isn’t that encouraging? For a country to place such a priority on its natural well-being, even to enshrining it in the constitution and trying to achieve balance between the environment and the economy. Well done and my best wishes to Bhutan.
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Thank you my friend. I’m glad my stories are uplifting and useful for you. It’s fun to find them share, and hopefully inspire others to live more fully like you do with your books. Maybe one day I’ll write one! 🙂
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Beautiful stories Brad… Thankyou. Slowly we as a society are recognising how essential it is to embrace depression and look at it with ‘big eyes’ to perceive the beauty and growth potential it truly is. Much love Barbara x
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I love your perspective on depression and am also glad to see progress in the acceptance of depression and other uncomfortable energies. Hugs and blessings,
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Hopefully things will keep changing for the better and people will no longer fear talking about depression. We’re getting there. Keep spreading the word.
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Agreed. Thanks for commenting and welcome. Brad
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