The phuket uncle in muu baan Sun Charen

Having gone back to the village in Chiangrai, muu baan sun charen, so many times, I've not really spoken to the uncle tending the "supermarket" before (this little provision shop near the entrance of the village). I was really surprised to find out that he speaks very good Chinese. He was from phuket and had moved to CR, this quiet little village after the tsunami. He was the brother in-law of lun taa (uncle taa, the songthiaw driver of the village) if I got what they were saying correctly.

We were chatting about life in Singapore as compared to village life while waiting for aoy and day to come back from work. What he said struck me " For older people like us moving into village it's ok, because we are growing old already. But for young people, moving into a quiet village like this is a waste. Young people should have the drive for life, should go out to make a mark for themselves, staying in village is a waste of talents"

Hmm his words got me thinking...

It's true that it will be a waste of talents, but depending on what one's priorities in life are, whether it is a waste or not is subjective. If the mad rush out there was for earning more money, gaining fame and status, then staying in a village wouldnt be a waste at all coz all these are impermanent worldly gains. But if we have the ability to make a difference to the world, to someone's life, and to contribute to the society, then staying in the village and not putting these talents to use would be selfish and a great loss to people.

Sometimes I wonder how different life would be if I were to be born in a village and not in a developed city... =)