Many times people share experiences about national characteristics with a negative sign. Why is that so? As everything in our life, peoples attention seems to be attracted more by the negative, grim, gloomy side , than by the light and uplifting side. I don’t speak about inner human desire for beauty, which is immanent, but about the pieces of ugliness found every day in different forms. These pieces possess energy of “sharpness” and this is much more visible, has greater effect and impact on peoples mind, than the softness and calm light of positive, that not interfere with our fears.
What I want to concentrate now is softness instead of sharpness, and relate this to some special national characteristics of Bulgarian people. All is general, without any detailed observation, and my aim is not to analysis at all. My aim in this entry is to bring in front some beautiful hidden traits, which we tend to forget, and they exist in us.
Every human beings is totally different and unique as individual, but we all together as humans living on earth, have of course all common things, which exactly make us united. On the other hand, every nation is also very different, has its historical events, custom and cultural impact, social paradigm and behavior and in this respect its also unique and different from others. What appears in your mind when you say “Indian”, “French”, “German”, “Egyptian”, “Nigerian”, “Chinese”, these are not individual traits, nor human characteristics for all people, but our consciousness make links to “well known” or wide spread national characteristics of the particular nation and group, adding his landmarks and history. In this way, when you say “Indian” ,you imagine not only a hospitable suntanned person with big smile, colorful clothes, but you can have association like “Taj Mahal”, Hindu temples, Ganesha, Vishnu, Hindu gods, dancing snakes, traditional Indian bread, food, saree, turbans, cows, elephant, festival of color and so on…All that images are related to Indian nationality…But where is the individual character? This character associations can be very well manipulated from the main stream social media and news, that add some really dark and negative images, stick to the peoples and nations. Simply because this kind of social media most of all relies on the sharpness of the negativity, than the softness. Bad news and crimes spread faster than the light. In this way in our human mind remains – Take care when you go to India, they may smile to you, and in the same time steal your wallet, take care about drinking water, diseases and viruses, mosquito and so on. We are reminded to be cautious with almost every person, but the European media brings much more negative attention and draw bad pictures of all “out of Europe countries”, and much less to Europe.
With the in born attraction of human from “negative side” and sharpness, people in my country also feel excited from the spew of bad news and crimes, even no one wants them. This is tendency everywhere, until part of the population just switched off the TV and refused to watch anything, good or bad, the internet brings much more opportunities, moreover you can manage and choose by yourself information you want to get.
About Bulgarian people, if I try to distance myself from it, and look from the eyes of foreigner, I would say just few things: East of Europe, Black sea resorts, nice women, past (football team), Bulgarian yogurt, Roses and rose oil, Bulgarian traditional clothes, hospitable and cautious people, distant between each other, wonderful mountains, Sofia, Alexander Nevski, some monuments…That `s the very general image we have, but also some more related to gipsy spread population around the world – mafia, guns, big muscular men, corruption, unclean, dark skin faces. If the first associations are truth and facts, the second are brought from media and are of course Not truth. Not because such people don’t exist in Bulgaria! (we are little country and all little criminal actions are well on the spot light!) But because its not related to everyone and everything, and its determined. As well as all other nations, we have much right to be proud. Not in the way of co called “nationalists” waving flags and singing national anthem while drunk, but with open heart and mind.
Distinguish yourself from the negative every day news, from criminal world, from sharpness, and now open your eyes and see the real image in front of you. We are land with long history, with amazing kings, people, writers, poets, culture, and with impact on worlds history. But I wont speak about history and landmarks here, because the main change in the land comes from people themselves. We as nation will go ahead and change the history, keep the Bulgarian identity, spread the traditions and customs, love ourselves.
Here I want to focus on the positive qualities and traits of Bulgarians, which make is strong and stand as nation, through the storm of wars, political and inside conflicts, make us survive even the Ottoman rule and rise again more willing. Even so I want to mention, that one of the bad consequences of these wars and foreign slavery are still visible in Bulgarian traits: 1. low-self esteem, 2. suspiciousness 3. distrust. I point out these qualities, in order to continue the discovery of the beautiful traits of our nation. But all has effects and consequences, even in the sub-conscious level of our mind. These traits brought to Bulgarians more individual approach, distance from others, as well as very colorful variety of individuals with different understanding about the world. I want to reveal now the beautiful side of light. No matter what we feel, or how we are criticized by our own self”, Bulgarians are:
-- open minded (they like to travel, discover new world, new nations, new approaches, they have mind very attracted by idea of cultural diversities, so they can feel well in any place, and integrate well in different places. Many of Bulgarians are mountain and trip lovers, free spirited people, who feel very close to the earth and nature;
__ [ Nature lovers ] People in this part of the world have very special, strong connection with the nature, which is seen in their life style. They are many times passionate gardeners, caretakers of land and trees, or involved in ecological and animal-rights campaigns. Most Bulgarian enjoy taking care of plants and flowers at home, no matter if in inner or outer space.
__ [ Spiritual interest ] Many different cultures crossing our country, as well as traveling of Bulgarians themselves make them far from “closed traditions” of the East, and more willing to see, read, discover the world religions, they are attracted by the spirituality in the human nature, by the general in all religions. That’s why I can say people in my land are very tolerant. They are ready to see and accept differences of others, even if they feel insecure with many of that differences. They want to feel with eyes of others and have very good willing for that. That make their inner life enlightened more easily than anyone else in world.
__ Compassionate : When you visit my country you`ll feel the spirit of compassion and love. They are connected from the root. Compassion comes when you can put yourself in the place of the suffering person, object, in this way you feel intuitively the universal language and directions, you know that winds can be changed, and let your heart to be touched by the sadness. This shows us , that we are much more united than we think. Our souls are connected, in any time and situation, as well as connected to the universal source.
__ Creative Mind : They have not just open, but creative mind. As we are very quiet inside, sometimes dreamer, believing in our dreams, our mind works in many directions. Many Bulgarians discovering other societies, traveling, observing, bring back fresh new ideas to start. Even we don’t believe in our political system and social justice, proven to be not working, we are still optimists and insist to do what our heart feels, and reveal to the world the truth life purpose. Many Bulgarian have not only amazing scientific discoveries, but also great creative approaches, that lift us entirely our spiritual level. Some decided to stay in Bulgaria and dedicate beautiful things to people here: Bulgarian folklore voices are famous world wide, we have unique folk costumes, unique musical instruments and folklore dances. Some people start to reveal more and more depths of tradition. Some groups are dedicated to hand-made stuff like pure honey wax candles, hand made cards, pottery and souvenirs, Bulgarian colorful rugs.
__ Authentic – to be authentic is not trait? I don’t think so. In comparison with other nations, no matter where our interests are, we want to do what we love and to love what we do! That means we follow our truth heart desire, and we are brave enough to do that. We are not reconciled with all evil around and fight with the things we dislike to change. We are very self-critical and with that generally critical. In order to do something we have to analyze, see the positive and negative sides and then decide which way to go. Bulgarians are attracted to depths and wisdom, and cant be people of the “surface life”. They want to do more and more things, to reach higher goals, and don’t give up easily even if they fail. If persistency is not much part of our traits, intuition, love and forgiveness are. People in this fruitful land are with kind hearts and open mind, free spirit, always ready to embrace the beauty of the world, and ready to bring innovation, just someone to give them supportive hand.
__ We can think about more and more amazing national traits, and feel enriched to live in Bulgaria, keeping precious memory of the national heroes, and prominent artists from many generations: here and nowhere else lived and died: Vasil Levski, Hristo Botev, Zahari Stoyanov, Ivan Vazov, Nikola Vaptsarov, Hristo Smirnenski, Tsar Boris, Dimitar Talev, Dimitar Dimov, painters like : Vladimir Dimitrov Maistora, Dechko Uzunov, Ivan Markvichka…and many more, musicians, actors, theoreticians, chess world champions (Veselin Topalov), Sport stars (Manuela, Magdalena Maleeva, Ivet Lalova, Dimitar Berbatov ) even some spread in other countries, they wont forget the root of Bulgaria, which music always sings from depths of their soul.
Just I want to say to you, dear Bulgarians : Be grateful, be loving, and see the sprinkles of light and beautify every day! Be united, be helpful, be active for the good!
