“Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never forget about it”
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I’m walking down the streets in Bangkok only days after the riots ended and I smile at people and they all smile back. I stop to get some food and an old lady starts talking to me. She tells me that she has lost everything she had, her home was burned down and all she has left are the clothes she is wearing. But she tells me that she is not sad, she is happy that she is still alive and she still has her family. She is smiling at me and I’m finding it hard to hold back the tears. I feel so fortunate to have grown up in a safe place and never have had to experience anything like this.
She tells me that happiness comes from the inside and even in times like these you have to stay positive and always have faith. After she leaves she stops across the street and smiles at me again. I keep walking around thinking about what she has told me and it makes me feel strong.
After weeks of not knowing what will happen things are finally back to normal. The people are back in the malls and the restaurants are filled with people and if didn’t know what had been going on here I don’t think I could tell.
The traffic is heavy, the buses are filled with people, kids are playing and people are laughing and enjoying life again. Just like before.
After a long day of walking around, eating and shopping I run back to the hotel for a quick shower, put on my new clothes and shoes, put my face back on and up meet my friends and we go to our favorite restaurant and for the first time we had to wait to get a table. The night clubs are filled with people and I feel better than ever. The country is back on it’s feet and the silence has been replaced by laughter and singing. We dance the night away and when I finally got to bed I have a big smile on my face and can’t wait to wake up and do it all over again.
After rain, comes the sunshine and for the first time I feel that it’s true. It takes both Rain and Sunshine to make a Rainbow.
The land of smiles is smiling again.