It is a wonder to see a small house perched high on a tiny shelf of land surrounded by steep terraced slopes with, seemingly, no way to get up or down.  Living here would create quite the problem for me.  Forgetting something at the market, or for that matter at home, would be a real hassle.  Good thing house keys are not used!

            These folks go to the market once a week.  During the winter they are isolated about six weeks and must provision in.  We in America complain about walking a block.  The Nepalese will walk half the day to buy supplies.  Talk about an isolated, hard existence.  Consider also that they have no electricity, no plumbing of any kind, dirt floor, and  rather cold interiors.  At 10,000 plus feet this is not the tropics.

            The houses are so drafty, and winters so harsh, it is a wonder they don’t freeze to death.  Yet they persevere, not only without complaint but with an easy cheerfulness.  I have heard said that it is what they know.  Meaning that since they have never had all the amenities of western life they don’t miss it.  This sounds rather condescending to me.  They know what they do not have. We as Americans have a lot to learn about attitude toward life.  And that, so far, has been my education:  not survival in a harsh land, but the easy going happiness.   And it does not seem to be just a front, it up-wells from the spirit of the people.  I really think it stems from a focused living and their devotion to Buddha.  They are happy for what they have, no matter how little or how much.

           The wanting of more is natural in all societies.  In this society it is no different. They charge what the market will bear; but the difference is in their happiness.  This happiness is independent of the results in what life brings.  It’s quite refreshing.