Still see each other in the crowd

Being a judge for Thanh Nien Newspaper’s Beautiful Living contest is really difficult, not in terms of technique, but in terms of the topic. Living beautifully, living kindly and sharing love is inherently a lifelong goal, not for a year, an occasion or a contest…

Even we ourselves find it difficult to judge when looking back on our past lives, let alone judge others in a short story or a few images. We still try to ask ourselves, have we been kind to others, have they been kind to others. What if we find ourselves doing something altruistic, while others do not see it that way and are even hurt? The little prince said: "One can only see clearly with the heart. The eyes are often blind to what is essential." Who can be sure that we always see clearly?

Writer Dong Vy

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

There are many people who do charity work on a daily basis, whether it is a whim or a lifelong commitment, but they don't say anything about it. For example, Mai Le Duy Quang, after saving a person, temporarily covered his wound with a leaf from the roadside and then went to the construction site to continue working "without thinking about anything". Some old farmers joined hands to build charity houses "any way is fine, as long as it helps people, it's good".

Even in short stories, characters sometimes find it difficult to clearly express their feelings. One character is referred to as: "Bun Rieu calls her 'a very happy person' but after knowing more about Miss Nhan, I found her to be a very strange person". The husband in Sitting and Waiting for the Moon to Rise says he is determined to marry his unattractive wife: "Not (because of) the previous life but this life", but if you ask him to name the reason, he probably won't be able to say it clearly.

The lack of detail in the character turns out to reflect an aspect of reality in this topic. Kindness is something that can radiate a gentle aura around a person. We can feel it, but it is often difficult to describe.

Besides, many other issues have been raised. For example, old farmers always refuse to donate money because: "We are all men, and farmers too, you are afraid to keep money, if you are negligent, you will get a bad reputation. Well, let's just work hard, do it with all our heart". For example, Ms. Quynh Nga from the Pink Heart Cooperative said that "each person has different shortcomings and is suitable for each specific job, the key is to find a job that suits them".

These thoughts go beyond the scope of a specific act of charity, opening doors to reflection. That human beings not only have a body and life that are worthy of respect, but also have dignity and peace of mind.

One contest entry gave me the advice: "measure the heart by the heart." But measuring the heart by the heart is difficult to quantify, and subjective feelings are inevitable. I thought, perhaps I could not be the impartial judge I wanted to be in this contest.

Whenever I encounter difficulties in life, I often wonder how my grandparents did it. How did they score the charity work we did? It seems that they did not score based on the value of money, the amount of work, the quantity or scale of the good deeds we did for how many people, but on the sincerity in each act.

On the other hand, I wish we could always meet kind people in normal situations, rather than in emergencies, natural disasters or accidents, no one has to go through a life-threatening moment of danger or painful loss, then we realize how kind they are, to honor and reward them.

For me, this contest is not a battle for the title of Living Beautifully or Kindness, but a small parade of Hope and Love. Among them are characters who have nurtured in me - and perhaps in our readers - the seeds of hope and love.

It is worth celebrating that good people can still see each other in the crowd.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/con-nhin-thay-nhau-giua-dam-dong-18524123119202658.htm