Song of Peace

I was born in the swampland, where the winding Vam Co Dong River embraces the “dark leaves”, where the heroic feat of Nguyen Trung Truc, who burned the ship Hy Vong at Vam Nhut Tao, is preserved.

The author visited Vam Nhut Tao

I was born in the swampland, where the winding Vam Co Dong River embraces the “dark leaves”, where the heroic feat of Nguyen Trung Truc, who burned the ship Hy Vong at Vam Nhut Tao, Long An province, is preserved. The eight golden words “Loyalty, bravery, and steadfastness, the entire people fight the enemy” are like an immortal flame, illuminating the path for many generations, so that the story of peace will forever echo.

I grew up when the country had been at peace for more than a decade. Growing up in a revolutionary land, in a family with strong patriotism, my childhood was filled with stories about wartime told by my grandmother. She was like a living history book, drawing me into the heroic yet painful years of the nation.

For me, the most profound memory is a day when I followed my grandmother and parents to harvest rice. At that time, bridges and roads were not yet developed, and boats were the lifeblood of trade throughout the six provinces of Southern Vietnam. On the bustling river wharf of my hometown, boats loaded with rice were going back and forth. I lay on the boat, resting my head on my knees, watching the coconut trees spread their arms and cast their shadows, above was the blue sky like an endless silk strip. The sound of the waves mixed with the sound of the engine, the cheerful laughter of the villagers, all blended together to sound strangely familiar. That was a clear sky of memories.

On that boat, my grandmother sang a sweet vọng cổ song: “Is it true that the blood of our ancestors was shed many times, for the land of Long An to shine with its golden name?” Suddenly, she stopped singing, her voice choked, her eyes red as old memories flooded back. My grandmother said that on this river, many people had fallen, “Determined to die for the Fatherland, determined to live”. Among them, there was my grandfather - a soldier of Uncle Ho who will forever remain in the heart of his homeland.

My maternal grandfather joined the revolution in 1972, in the middle of a fiery summer. In a fierce sweep, the thick smoke of gunfire took his breath away, when the country was still on the brink of life and death. At that time, my maternal grandmother was pregnant with my youngest son, who was due to give birth in a few months. He passed away, leaving her with a heartbreaking pain but also sowing the seeds of a steadfast flame. The country was reunified not long after, my maternal grandmother gave birth to my youngest son, named him “Het” - like a bright sign closing the war, opening a new bright chapter for the nation.

Once, I visited Mr. Le Van Duoc, my grandfather's old comrade. He emotionally recounted: "That day, bombs and bullets were rumbling in the sky. Your grandfather passed away, but his revolutionary heart and the message "please witness the day of peace for me" still live on with his comrades." Those words deeply engraved in me the pride of him - the man who mixed his flesh and blood with the sacred soul of the river, so that Long An would forever "shine with its golden name".

Later, on each anniversary of her grandfather’s death, she quietly looked at his portrait - a black and white photo of a Ho Chi Minh soldier with a determined gaze. She whispered: “My dear, the country is peaceful, becoming more and more beautiful. It’s just a pity that you can’t see it!” Her words were concise, making her grandchildren choke up.

After his death, she raised eight children by herself, including Nam, Bac and Het - names that echo the past, as evidence of the desire for national unity, of the grandparents' undying love for the country. To me, she is not only a mother but also the embodiment of a heroic, indomitable, loyal and capable Vietnamese mother. And I saw her image in the poem: "Father went to save the country and save the family. Mother "ba doc chuc" (responsible for) everything on behalf of father."

In my final year of university, on March 31, 2013, I had the honor of being admitted to the Party. In the moment of reading the oath under the red flag with yellow star and the Party flag, tears rolled down my face. I silently understood that for the day I could study in peace and stand in the Party’s ranks, it was the blood and tears of many generations of fathers and brothers, including my grandfather and uncles - those who had made the revolutionary history of the family glorious. “Peace is the happiness of the people” as Uncle Ho said. I am living in that happiness, absorbing every moment.

The land of “Can Duoc rice”, from the muddy, slippery roads of the past, has now become flat roads, covered with flags and flowers. Peace has brought miraculous changes. The bright smiles of poor workers on their journey to earn a living, the joyful footsteps of children going to school every April. The old swamps and seas no longer have the shadow of mine-sniffing engineers, my hometown people focus on production, building their homeland, building a new countryside with a more prosperous and peaceful life.

My grandmother returned to her homeland 5 years ago, but the lessons of patriotism and the value of peace she taught me are still deeply engraved in my mind. In front of the cultural gate of the hamlet, the words are engraved in my soul: "Our ancestors contributed to building the country, our descendants strive to beautify the village" - a sacred, resounding reminder, urging the younger generation like me to have the responsibility to preserve and foster values.
peace forever

These days, when the whole country is looking forward to the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, I visited the temple of Nguyen Trung Truc and once again looked back at the Dong Vam Co River. This is where my grandfather and his comrades fell so that the country could stand tall. The river still flows, still carrying the sacred souls of the heroes, reminding me that peace is a priceless gift, exchanged for a generation that did not spare its blood and bones.

Growing up near bomb craters, hearing stories of war and peace, I love the resilient Vietnamese people even more. The painful past reminds me to cherish every peaceful moment, every full meal and to strive for a bright future. Peace does not come naturally. It is the crystallization of silent sacrifices. We, the people living in peace, have the responsibility to preserve and nurture it forever.

This April, I walked on the smooth country road, watching the red flag with yellow star fluttering, and my heart was filled with emotion. The miraculous changes in my homeland taught me to cherish peace - a priceless gift exchanged for the sacrifices of many generations./.

Dang Hoang An

Source: https://baolongan.vn/khuc-vong-hoa-binh-a194112.html