Spring Aspiration - The Era of National Growth

Spring marks the beginning of a new year, a season of aspirations unfolding as nature bursts with new life and blossoms, and as people's hearts are filled with excitement and joy at the achievements of the past year.

Along with the rest of the country, Thanh Hoa is undergoing a strong transformation. Photo: Hoang Dong

These are the foundations laid and the next steps in the journey of unleashing potential strength, filled with great anticipation and inspiring pride. 2025 ushers in a new era, an era of national progress with strong, decisive, and resolute movements to overcome challenges, surpass ourselves, and confidently move forward on the path to progress. 2025 marks historical milestones: the 135th anniversary of the birth of President Ho Chi Minh, the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam , the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification...

I recall that 60 years ago, in the year of the Snake, 1965, when the war against the US was entering a critical phase with fierce challenges, the US imperialists escalated their attacks on the North – the great rear base of the brave and resilient South. In his New Year's greeting poem, beloved President Ho Chi Minh said: "The North is building a new, joyful life – the South's resistance is progressing ever further." And he affirmed a firm belief: "Socialism will certainly triumph – peace and reunification will surely succeed." Although he has passed away, his New Year's greeting poem retains its immense spiritual value and profound strategic foresight for future generations.

The new era of our nation is a historical period marked by important characteristics that greatly influence the development of society, culture, politics, and nature. It is an era of the Vietnamese nation's rise under the leadership of the Communist Party, successfully building a socialist Vietnam that is prosperous, strong, democratic, just, and civilized, standing shoulder to shoulder with the world's leading powers. General Secretary To Lam has repeatedly emphasized the phrase "the era of the nation's rise," which is the top priority in achieving the strategic goals: by 2030, Vietnam strives to become a developing country with modern industry and a high-middle income, and by 2045, a developed country with a high income.

2025 marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Party. The history of the Vietnamese revolution shows that under the brilliant and wise leadership of the Party, "the Party has given us a spring," awakening the spirit of self-reliance, self-determination, self-confidence, self-strength, and national pride. By mobilizing the strength of the entire people combined with the strength of the times, the Vietnamese revolutionary path has achieved tremendous feats.

As spring arrives, the vibrant red of peach blossoms in the North and the bright yellow of apricot blossoms in the South bring a touch of spring to the heartwarming atmosphere of the traditional Lunar New Year. These two colors, red and yellow, also create the national colors – the red flag with a yellow star fluttering proudly in the vast sky, amidst the joyful hearts of people welcoming a new era – an era of national progress.

President Ho Chi Minh once affirmed: "Our Party is a revolutionary Party; apart from the interests of workers and peasants, our Party has no other interests." Countless communists have fallen on the revolutionary struggle. A message from Comrade Tran Phu, the Party's first General Secretary: "Maintain your fighting spirit," to his comrades in prison before his sacrifice. A resolute declaration by the young communist Ly Tu Trong before the enemy's court: "The path of youth is only the revolutionary path; there can be no other path." A fighting stance of the Hero of the People's Armed Forces, martyr Nguyen Viet Xuan: "Aim straight at the enemy, fire!"... All have become beautiful symbols, unwavering wills with communist ideals, and steadfast faith. Our Party is an embodiment, a lofty humanistic value. Composer Nguyen Duc Toan has a wonderful song: "The Party is My Life," with simple yet sincere and poignant lyrics that convey a motto, a life experience, and a way of life: "Oh, my Party, I will follow You forever" because "the Party has given me reason to live and faith."

The aspiration of spring – the era of national resurgence – is the awakening of the spirit of spring, youth, and newness. This aspiration is further nurtured, developed, and honored, stemming from the rich historical and cultural traditions of the nation. In these early days of spring, I reflect on the path that the Vietnamese people have taken. It is the path that the Russian poet Eptuseenko once mentioned when writing about Vietnam during the years when our entire nation bravely fought against the Americans. He likened it to the number one and only correct path: rising up, taking up arms, and defeating the American invaders with the combined strength of 4,000 years of history, unleashed to its fullest extent.

And I think again of the journey "Cutting through the Truong Son Mountains to save the country - With hearts overflowing with hope for the future"; remembering the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail on the sea with the "Nameless Ships"... And in the era of national resurgence, we are planning to build a North-South high-speed railway with a speed of 350 km/h. That is a spring road, a bright road of the future; a road of international integration where "bamboo diplomacy" activities have created a multi-layered harmony in the resonant chord called: The Nation. A nation that once "shook off the mud and rose up brilliantly" (Nguyen Dinh Thi); "With a sword on its back and a delicate pen in its hand" (Huy Can); a nation that, as the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong once affirmed: "Our country has never had such a foundation, potential, position, and international prestige as it does today."

This spring morning, my heart rejoices even more as I see ships cutting through the waves to distant islands, to islands named "Survival," symbolizing immortal survival, and "Nightingale Island," where children chirp and study beside the curved temple roof. With the harmonious melody of composer Thế Song: "Where I go is the distant sea. Where I arrive is a faraway island. From our homeland. In the middle of the ocean, carrying the love of home." The image of soldiers guarding the islands, like living frontier markers, with "the moon hanging over the gun barrels," further enhances the beauty of the Ho Chi Minh Army. On the border this spring, the apricot blossoms are white again, the jagged rocky slopes bear the footprints of border guards. And the undulating mountain peaks resemble sails in the misty sea. This spring morning, my heart is filled with the joyful sounds of village festival drums, the melodies of traditional folk songs like Chèo, Xoan, and the Song Ma River chants, the songs of love and anger in the Ví Dặm folk songs... These soulful melodies all originate from the rivers carrying heavy silt, shaping the land over the years—a land that, as one poet described it, "This strip of land resembles a dancing fairy / And also has the shape of a flame in a raging storm"; a land with a form—a firm and stable position like "a dike on a peninsula"...

The country, with a new mindset and stance, is entering a new era of national progress, fueled by the aspiration of spring.

Essays by Nguyen Ngoc Phu

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/khat-vong-mua-xuan-ky-nguyen-vuon-minh-cua-dan-toc-237930.htm