Show filial piety while you still can.

SGGP June 25, 2023 07:09

That time, my mother expressed her wish to visit Quang Binh, the hometown of General Vo Nguyen Giap. When I heard her say that, I was both surprised and happy. So, there came a day when that "country girl" had thought about taking a trip ...

1. Like many other mothers in the countryside, my mother's life was almost entirely confined to her village. If she ever left her familiar village, it was only within the province, for important business or to visit a relative. Otherwise, her time was entirely devoted to farming, cooking, and shopping… Her work was continuous and rarely restful.

Later, as my siblings and I grew up and each of us had our own lives, and because we were no longer as poor as before, my mother gave up some of her farmland, only cultivating enough to feed ourselves. The pressure of raising children and making a living was somewhat eased, allowing her to come to Hanoi for a memorial service and to Saigon to be with me a few years ago. During that time, I wanted her to stay longer, but she insisted on returning home. Whether I wanted to or not, I had to comply with her wishes, because I knew that in her mind, the pigs, the chickens, the water spinach pond… were still waiting for her.

2. Even now, I am still moved when I see the image of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kiem (87 years old, residing in La Phu commune, Hoai Duc district, Hanoi) and her two sons during this year's Hung Kings Commemoration Day. To fulfill their mother's wish to personally offer incense to the Hung Kings, her two sons, Mr. Ngo Van Thuong and Mr. Ngo Van Tuan, carried their mother and her wheelchair up nearly 500 stone steps to the mountaintop, passing through the Lower Temple, the Middle Temple, and then the Upper Temple.

For some reason, when that beautiful and heartwarming image was published in several newspapers, many people ridiculed it. A friend took a screenshot and sent it to me, and I was both surprised and angry. No one has the right to insult the act of showing filial piety to one's parents, no matter the form it takes.

Because doing something to make your mother happy, especially when she is elderly and her life is as fragile as a candle in the wind, can be seen as a way of showing filial piety to the person who gave birth to and raised you.

After reading the story of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kiem's ​​two sons, I felt a pang of sadness at my mother's wish. I wanted to personally take her there, but my busy work schedule prevented me from fulfilling it. This makes me feel remorseful every time I think about it.

Warm and loving family meals shared across generations. Photo: KHÓI LAM CHIỀU (Evening Smoke)

3. I have a friend who initially had a very negative attitude towards TikTok. According to him, watching TikTok was a waste of time and full of "nonsense." Yet, one day, he was completely captivated by TikTok. It happened after he saw a video by Mr. Do Van Huong (48 years old, residing in Hanoi).

In this video, Mr. Huong recorded himself caring for and talking with his 96-year-old mother. At this age, few people are still healthy and mentally alert. Mr. Huong's mother suffers from dementia, experiencing memory lapses and always speaking and acting innocently, no different from a child.

Like my friend, when watching the videos that Mr. Huong posted, I was also "overwhelmed" by the tenderness he showed towards his mother. I watched one video after another with great enthusiasm. In one video, the old woman innocently clapped her hands and sang: "The little stork, it perched on a bamboo branch. Without asking its mother, how would it know which way to go?" In another video, she kept complaining of hunger and demanding food, even though her children had already fed her. And in yet another video, it was unclear where she had hidden the money, but she sat there crying pitefully, causing Mr. Huong to frantically search for it…

Regarding the conclusion that aging makes one act like a child – this observation is perhaps not without basis. In many videos, the elderly woman repeatedly acts childishly, sometimes even irritable and sulky. Yet, viewers have never seen Mr. Huong get angry or raise his voice at his mother; he is always gentle, patient, and tries to comfort and soothe her.

Mr. Huong's videos consistently receive high view counts and numerous comments expressing admiration and emotion: "The younger generation needs to watch these videos to learn and care for those who gave birth to and raised them," "If you feel sorry for the old man, you feel even more sorry for his son. Because the old man is senile, a son must have patience and immense love to be able to do what he did..."

According to the natural cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, parents will grow old and cannot be with us forever. Therefore, to show filial piety to our parents, especially when they are old and frail, we should do whatever we can for them.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/hay-bao-hieu-khi-con-co-the-post694934.html