Khin Maung Nyo (Economics) - The peaks and valleys of the world

The peaks of the world, the valleys

In New York, early on a rainy evening, Michael Brown was rushing to meet someone. A friend of his told him that the person might be able to help him solve the problems he was facing. When he entered the small shop, he had no idea how valuable the times he was about to face would be. . He was surprised to see Ann Carr. He had heard that she had been through a lot of trouble and hardship. He thought that he would see signs of that trouble in her. But she didn’t look troubled, she seemed cheerful.

After a few awkward conversations, he couldn't help but ask, "I thought you were going through a lot of hardships, but you seem to be doing everything smoothly."

She said, “I am comfortable and in a good place at work and in life. But I am not finding good things in the midst of bad situations. It is because of bad situations, and because I have learned how to use and take advantage of those bad situations.”

Michael was confused. “How did you do it?” he asked.

“Yes, let’s say for example, at work we think our department is doing well, but in reality it is not. We are successful. But we are happy with our success. When we realize the real situation, other companies are much better than us. Most of them are doing well. Our superiors, they are not very happy with us.

“From that moment on, we were depressed. We started putting pressure on ourselves to make things better overnight. Every day, the pain got worse and worse.”

Michael asked.

"So what happened?"

She replied, “I heard a story last year from someone I respect at work. It changed the way I see things, both good and bad, and it changed the way I handle things now. Even in my personal life, the story has helped me to be more peaceful and successful, no matter what. I will never forget it.” “What is the story about?” he asked.

Ann thought for a moment. Then

"May I ask why you want to know about the story?"

Michael reluctantly admitted that he felt unsafe at work and very uncomfortable at home.

There was no need to say anything more now, he understood how difficult it was for him to speak.

“You look like you want to hear the story, just like me.”

He said.

Ann will tell Michael the story again. But there is one rule. If you find something valuable in the story, you must share it with others, so he agrees. Ann prepares to tell him what he wants to hear.

“I think you might want to use this story to help you deal with the ups and downs of life. It will help you if you listen to it with your heart as well as your brain. Put your own personal experiences into the story, so you can see if it’s right for you.”

"The wisdom in this story is actually the same. It's just a little different."

“Why do you repeat it?” Michael asked. “For me, it’s easy to remember because it’s repetitive. When I remember, I do it more,” she replied.

She admits, “We are forced to change,

"So I always want to hear something new. At some point, we have overcome our critical, skeptical minds. Our minds can withstand the test, they become more intimate, they touch our hearts, they become a part of our lives."

"When I think about the story a lot, it just happens. If you like it, you can try it out yourself."

Michael said, "Do you really think that one story can make a big difference? I'm in a lot of trouble right now."

"If that's the case, what else do you have to lose? What I can tell you is that you can benefit a lot from the lessons learned in this story. Some people get a little, some get a lot. The important thing is not the story."

Miserable in the valley

Once upon a time, there was a young man who lived in a valley, unhappy. One day, he went to see an old man on a mountaintop. When he was young, he lived happily in his valley. He played in the meadows and bushes, and went swimming in the river.

All he knew was that the world was a valley. He had thought he would live in a valley all his life.

In the valley, sometimes it was cloudy. Sometimes it was sunny. But he enjoyed the fact that one day was the same, the next day the same. But as he grew older, he saw more and more bad things than good things, things he wanted to live, things he didn't want to forget. He didn't understand why he hadn't seen any bad things before.

As time went by, he changed jobs in the valley. But none of the jobs were as he expected. At one job, his boss was always criticizing him for every mistake he made and never noticed anything he did well or regularly. At another job, he was one of many employees who worked hard and did not care about anyone. Whatever he did was meaningless to him.

At one point, he thought he had finally found what he was looking for. He felt challenged and valued. He worked with talented employees. He was proud of the company's products. He gradually rose through the ranks, becoming the manager of a small department.

Unfortunately, he finds that job insecure. His personal life is not getting any better. One disappointment after another. His friends don't understand him. His family says he's going through a phase. The young man wonders if he could be better off somewhere else.

Sometimes he would stand in the shade of a tree and look up at the majestic, towering mountains that covered the valley. He would imagine himself standing on a nearby hill. For a moment, he felt relieved.

But the more he compared the peaks to his valley, the more uncomfortable he felt. He told his parents and friends about the importance of going to the peak. They told him that it was very difficult to reach the peak, and that it was better to stay in the valley and relax. They told him not to go to a place he had never been before.

The young man loved his parents. He knew that what they said was true, to a certain extent. But he also knew that he was different from his father and mother. Sometimes he thought that there must be a different way of life outside the valley. He wanted to explore that world for himself. From the top of the hill, he could see the world clearly.

But soon doubts and fears returned. He thought he would have to stay where he was. For a long time, the young man could not leave the valley. Then one day, when he looked back on his childhood, he realized that much had changed. He could no longer remain calm and composed. He did not know why he had changed his mind, but he immediately decided to go to the top of the mountain. He shook off his fears and prepared to go as fast as he could. Then he went to the nearest peak.

It was not an easy journey. It took him longer than he had thought to get halfway up the hill. But the higher he got, the fresher, cooler air made him feel better. From above, his valley seemed smaller. When he was in the valley, the air was as clean as it could be. But when he looked down at the valley from above, he saw that it was surrounded by a murky, gray atmosphere. Then he turned and continued climbing. The higher he got, the more he could see.