Family meals – the "glue" that binds happiness together.

STO - During a casual chat over tea and drinks, two elderly men, both well over sixty, reminisced about family meals from their humble beginnings. They remembered meals in the fields, with plenty of rice, and only simple side dishes of fish, vegetables, and pickled cucumbers, yet they tasted delicious. And the evening meal, beginning at dusk, was also very warm, with all family members present. By the flickering oil lamp, the sounds of laughter and conversation dispelled the fatigue of a hard day's work. Through generations, many families have preserved the tradition of family meals, a "glue" that binds family members together.

Married for over 11 years, Le Thi Thuy An, Vice President of the Women's Union of Ward 4, Soc Trang City (Soc Trang province), and her husband have always enjoyed a harmonious family life. One of the key factors contributing to their happiness is the family's commitment to maintaining family meals. According to Thuy An, she and her husband live with her husband's parents, and they work in two different agencies. No matter how busy they are, they both try to come home for meals with the family. Her mother-in-law often goes to the market to buy groceries and cooks meals, often preparing dishes that the family members enjoy. During meals, everyone chats, and all the fatigue disappears.

Family members of Le Thi Thuy An - Vice President of the Women's Union of Ward 4, Soc Trang City (Soc Trang province) - gather around the family dinner table. Photo: NGOC HAI

As a women's association officer, Thúy An is quite busy with many programs and work plans. Together with the Executive Committee of the Women's Union of Ward 4, she implements many activities to attract members, such as establishing and maintaining the "Traditional Khmer Folk Dance Club"; a women's group supporting the sale of agricultural products and fundraising to support women whose relatives work far from home; and a group to help children continue their education… Despite her active work with the association, An still dedicates time to her family, especially cherishing family meals because she knows there are always people waiting for her at home. Sometimes, many members wait for one person to come home before starting to eat.

“I always value family meals, with my parents, my husband and I, and our two children. My husband works in the police force and is very busy. But he still makes time to come home and eat with everyone. After dinner, I sit down and help my children with their studies. Thanks to this, my children are well-behaved and have achieved excellent student status for many years in a row. Although we live together as a multi-generational family, we are still harmonious. The members always care for each other,” Thúy An shared.

With that same mindset, for decades, Mrs. Nguyen Hong Phuong and her husband, residing in Noi O hamlet, Huynh Huu Nghia town, My Tu district (Soc Trang province), have maintained a family mealtime routine. According to Mrs. Phuong, even though their house is right next to the market and they run a pharmacy, despite being busy, they always eat together by 11 o'clock. “Our children are grown and have their own families, so we don't live with them. My husband and I are easygoing, not picky eaters, and we like fish, so I rarely buy meat at the market. When it's mealtime, if one of us is away, the other waits at home. That's our habit. No matter where we eat, nothing tastes as good as home-cooked meals,” Mrs. Phuong shared.

This tradition isn't unique to Mrs. Phuong's family; the couple Duong Thi Thuy Trang and her husband, from Noi O hamlet, Huynh Huu Nghia town, My Tu district, also maintain the habit of sharing two meals a day. They have two children: a son working in Can Tho and a daughter studying in Ho Chi Minh City. During holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), when the children come home, she cooks their favorite dishes for the whole family to enjoy. Even when the children aren't home, she diligently cooks, carefully preparing each dish for her husband to have a delicious meal. Therefore, no matter how busy he is, he rarely misses a meal at home. Speaking about this, Mrs. Trang confided: "My husband and I like sour soup and braised fish, so I often cook these dishes. When the children come home, I make grilled ribs, braised duck... My daughter often says she craves home-cooked meals. Although I manage the cooking alone, I still feel happy, and the happiest thing is that everyone finishes everything I cook."

Family happiness is like that; it's not difficult to cultivate, it's simply through family meals. Don't let the kitchen be cold and the dinner table empty. Maintaining family meals plays a crucial role in bonding family members, allowing everyone to chat with each other. It's also a place to show care and concern for one another, sharing delicious food, and cooking dishes that each member enjoys. And that's also a way to preserve family happiness.

NGOC HAI

Source: https://baosoctrang.org.vn/xa-hoi/202503/bua-com-gia-dinh-chat-keo-ket-dinh-hanh-phuc-a8b1d42/