Cuu Long garden area

The Southern region does not have constant rain, nor is the sun too harsh on the skin. On clear days, the sound of birds calling to each other on the coconut trees, the gentle splashing of oars, the crisp laughter echoing from the houses along the river - all blend into the melody of a peaceful yet fulfilling life.

The trellis of squash around the house is lush and green thanks to my father's care. Photo: DO TINH

There, people live close to nature, attached to the fields, to the ebb and flow of water, to the squash and gourd trellises. The small garden behind the house, the vegetable beds, the banana bushes, the luffa or the lush gourd trellis, are all the results of a lifetime of care, of love for the land, the homeland and of labor.

The agricultural products of the homeland are not only delicious thanks to the alluvial deposits, but also imbued with the flavor of humanity. A bowl of squash soup with shrimp, a plate of boiled vegetables with fish sauce, a simple but warm home-cooked meal, seems to contain the scent of the fields and wind, the soul of the gentle land. Each rustic dish is a slice of the culture of the countryside - simple but profound, rustic but rich. The cuisine here is not only a combination of ingredients, but also a crystallization of lifestyle, of affection and sharing.

From these seemingly small things, national morality is also cultivated through each generation. The folk song “gourd, please love the squash” is not only a gentle lullaby, but also a philosophy of life deeply ingrained in the consciousness of the people of the South. Love and care become the roots of morality, the strength that helps people overcome the flood season, difficult times, and still maintain a gentle smile and an open heart.

The garden is where people learn to love, give in and be grateful. Children grow up next to the gourd and squash trellis, familiar with the sound of roosters crowing in the morning and the sound of boats passing by; from there, they develop the virtues of diligence, honesty and a sense of loyalty. The warmth of the homeland, of parents, of those diligent harvest seasons follows the children of the South to all four corners of the world. Wherever they are, whenever they remember the river of their childhood, the canal around the house, the sweet soup of young gourds cooked by their mother, everyone feels their hearts soften. That is not just a memory, but a source that nourishes the Vietnamese soul - gentle, tolerant and loyal.

In today's development journey, when urbanization spreads, when modern life penetrates every small alley, the simple values ​​in the Mekong Delta gardens become more precious. The gourd and squash trellises, the fruit-laden orchards are not only a source of livelihood, but also a symbol of the bond between people and nature, of the morality of "remembering the person who planted the tree when eating the fruit". Preserving a simple lifestyle, loving work, and valuing loyalty is also preserving the cultural roots of the nation.

The homeland garden is not only the birthplace of abundant agricultural products, but in each green gourd and pumpkin, we see the image of the mother and father, the spirit of the hard-working but tolerant countryside. The river still flows, the gourd trellis is still green, the people here still diligently cultivate, still keep their gentle smiles and open hearts. And like the old folk song that has resonated through many generations, "gourd, please love the squash too", that morality continues, flowing forever in the heart of every Vietnamese - like the alluvial stream that persistently nourishes the peaceful, rich and affectionate Southern land.

LIBRA

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/miet-vuon-cuu-long-post819989.html