Recently, I visited the Philippines and was hosted by a group of people living away from the main city. There were about 2,000 people in that village situated at the foot of a hill, accessible by foot (about 40 minutes' walk) or motorbike. The rustic charm was appealing to most of us, indeed a welcome change for the urban dwellers. Though it did not have the modern amenities associated with a modern city, it was compensated by the fresh mountain air and warm hospitality of the host. We were told that the community was established more than a 100 years ago. With limited resources within their reach, most of us would have felt uneasy and perhaps dissatisfied. On the contrary, we had witnessed much happiness and contentment in their communal setting. It brought me to reflectt more deeply: What brings happiness? For example, Bhutan has a Happiness Index while the rest of the world uses economy or GDP to measure the nation's success.
