Spreading the morality of "When drinking water, remember its source" from the "rear"

Spreading the morality of

Mrs. Bui Thi Hue has always taken care of her husband, war invalid Bui Chi Hanh, who has been bedridden for 4 years.

Mr. Hanh was once a brave soldier on the battlefield of Laos. In 1959, when he was only 19 years old, he was seriously injured, with many pieces of shrapnel embedded in his body, which still remain deep in his flesh and bones. Every time the weather changes, the old wounds ache, causing him to lose his appetite and sleep. However, he never complained, because he always had a devoted wife by his side.

In 1958, they got married in a simple ceremony, then he joined the army. When she received the news that he was wounded, she was stunned. “I just thought, no matter what, he is still my husband,” she said, her eyes shining with sadness mixed with steadfast faith.

Since he became bedridden, nearly four years ago, she has not left his side. From turning him over, changing his clothes, massaging his limbs, to feeding him spoonfuls of porridge and sips of water - she has taken care of all his daily activities. "I am old and not as healthy as before, but as long as I am alive, I will take care of him. If I neglect him, he will be in pain, I feel so sorry for him," Mrs. Hue choked up.

Mr. Hanh once told his children and grandchildren: "I have nothing left in my life except your mother. She lived for the rest of my life that I left behind on the battlefield" - that sentence, to Mrs. Hue, was the greatest reward after a lifetime of silent sacrifice.

In Quang Chiem village, Ha Long commune, people often mention the old couple living in the small house where the old soldier Lai Hong Tan and his hard-working wife Mai Thi Phan lived. They fell in love in 1971, during the days when the country was still in the flames of war.

Mr. Tan was a soldier who fought at the Binh Tri Thien front, then marched to the South. The hot jungle, malaria, hunger and fierce battles took away most of his health. After being discharged from the army, he was recognized as a 4/4 class disabled soldier, suffering from persistent tuberculosis. The whole family relied on a few fields of rice, struggling day by day.

Mrs. Phan never complained. In 2022, the hospital concluded that he had stage 3 rectal cancer. Mrs. Phan became a “home doctor”, taking care of every meal and medicine, from taking him to the hospital to helping him sit up every morning. She said: “I am not good at reading, I don’t know much, I just hope that his pain will be relieved, every day I live is precious.”

Many nights when he was in pain and couldn’t sleep, she stayed up with him, quietly massaging and holding his hand like the day they first fell in love. At those times, Mr. Tan would whisper: “Luckily I have you by my side, that’s why I’ve been able to live this long” - that simple sentence moved him to the core of his emotions.

In Tan Phong village, Dong Luong commune, 3/4-class disabled veteran Le Van Mop emotionally talked about his hard-working wife with all his gratitude. Returning from the war with a part of his body left on the battlefield, he once thought that happiness was no longer for him. However, Nguyen Thi Chung, a girl from the same hometown, overcame her family's objections to come to him with a sympathetic heart.

Mr. Mốp lost his leg, making daily activities difficult, and the burden fell on his small wife. She alone raised three children, took care of her sick husband, and worked many jobs to keep the family warm. On windy days, when his injury relapsed, she was busy by his side. There was a long period of time when she carried him to the hospital for months at a time. Although she was thin, Ms. Chung's will was always strong.

During 43 years of marriage, Mr. Mop has never forgotten the image of his silent wife who has been with him through the storms of life. When talking about her, his eyes shine with pride and deep gratitude: "I have everything I have today thanks to her, my wife."

These are just three of the thousands of silent stories of the home front that the wives of war invalids are writing every day. Without needing to be mentioned, without expecting anyone to acknowledge them, the sisters and mothers still silently take care of their sick husbands, raise their children, and “keep the fire” of their home with all their love and loyalty. Each story is a beautiful portrait of loyalty and complete affection.

In the peaceful houses in the countryside, countless women still silently accompany their husbands who have returned from the battlefield with injuries. Without showing off, without asking for anything for themselves, they live simply but extraordinarily, being a spiritual support, a caring hand, a place to anchor memories of a time of bombs and bullets.

They are the ones who continue to write the history of the rear with deep affection and unchanging loyalty. Their presence is a testament to their loyalty and the root of the human values that our nation always preserves. When remembering those who have fallen, please do not forget those who remain, who bear the pain of war every day with a tolerant heart and boundless humanity. They deserve to be thanked not only with words, but also with deep understanding and gratitude from each of us.

Article and photos: Tran Hang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/lan-toa-dao-ly-uong-nuoc-nho-nguon-tu-hau-phuong-255983.htm