HOLIDAYS,HOSPITALITY AND SRI LANKANS

Lankans are considered as one of the most hospitable people in the world and this Sri Lanka has the highest number of holidays in the world. A coincidence? Well, I don’t think so.

You do have to agree with me that the level of rest and stress in a person directly affects their personality. The more tired and exhausted we are, the more crabby we tend to be towards others in an attempt to take it all out on them. The more relaxed we are the more we tend to be nicer towards others. But thats ignoring the fact if we are always crabby. In that case no amount of leisure is going to help.

Coming back to my topic I know that Lankans are considered as a lazy bunch and its true we are forever on the look out for a holiday. Even me. But doesn’t that mean that we are a bit more relaxed nation than, lets say, the rest of the world? And it doesn’t hurt to have the ‘very hospitable nation’ and ‘always smiling people’ name tag does it? Frankly, I don’t mind. Even if it comes with the lazy tag. See Japan? They are the most hard working people in the world and have the least number of holidays, and yet they have a very high rate of stress related suicides due to over work. (I know Sri Lanka has too, but its mostly not due to work related stress) . Looks like it didn’t take them too far except to early graves. Don’t take me wrong cause I’m not encouraging laziness here and I do want my country to be advanced like others. I just mean than no advancement is worth losing your personality and your life for.

You wouldn’t find any place in the world where you get such an ethnic pot of people who live together as one and just one accepting the others way of life all in one stride. I know there are a few eruptions along the line, but thats just by the few odd ones. Even the cricket team is a good example. They are united, well behaved and always in good spirits. And you wouldn’t find any of us burning their pictures ,screaming slogans and damaging their houses every time they lose do you? They are always heroes even if they win or lose.

So the next time you think of complaining about Sri Lanka having too many holidays ( And believe it or not, some workaholics do) know that MAYBE that the Sri Lankan general good nature and their hospitality stemmed from the very fact that we do HAVE too many holidays. That’s just my theory and maybe there is another reason out there .Just maybe. Or do you think its all that paan and pol sambol simply doing its humble job??

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