The season of wild sunflowers has arrived.

(GLO) - In late October, the highland sky was a clear blue, with scattered white clouds playing in the golden sunlight. The foxtail grass along the path down to the coffee plantation had grown tall, swaying in the wind. Looking at the vibrant green of the wild sunflowers, my heart was filled with anticipation for the golden blossoms of the season.

Near my house, there's a vacant plot of land belonging to my next-door neighbor. He said it's his dowry for his youngest son. When the boy grows up, gets an education, and returns to the village to build his career, he and his wife will transfer ownership to him. Over a decade ago, he drove down Ham Rong mountain and cut some wild sunflower branches to plant. When asked why he didn't plant vegetables or fruit trees, he chuckled: "I planted wild sunflowers to save time and effort. They're green in the rainy season and yellow in the dry season; just thinking about it makes me imagine the unique beauty of a small stretch of road in the city. Besides, I'm a nature lover, I love flowers and plants, and I especially adore wild sunflowers."

Wild sunflowers burst forth in the sunlight. Photo: Thai Binh

Since then, that patch of land has been awash in the vibrant colors of wild sunflowers. During the rainy season, the plants call out to each other, their leaves a fresh, youthful green, from tender buds to the deep hues of the sky and clouds, a green like never before known. In the dry season, when the fragrant sunshine bathes the rooftops in a golden light, mingling with the slight chill of early winter, the wild sunflowers burst forth in a new color, the color of the sun. Perhaps the names "sun-announcing flower" and "winter-announcing flower" originated from this.

But the color of the flower is truly strange. It's the same yellow color, but at different times and with different moods, this wild flower sings with distinct hues.

Here is the gentle, dreamy yellow blending with the cool mist. Here is the vibrant yellow when it catches the early morning sun, the brilliant yellow at midday, the wistful yellow in the late afternoon. And in the tranquil night, with the soft moonlight, the wild sunflowers are a mesmerizing, enchanting color. And I can't remember how many times I've silently stood and gazed at the wild sunflowers at night like this.

Yesterday morning, as I leisurely strolled through the streets, I reminisced about the seasons of flowers. As my car passed Nguyen Trung Truc Street, my heart suddenly raced when I saw a patch of wild sunflowers swaying in the breeze. On a couple of the highest branches, the yellow blossoms were faintly visible. I quickly pulled over to the side of the road and stood admiring the flowers in the sunlight and the clear blue sky.

So, another season of wild sunflowers, another beautiful season, is arriving on my Gia Lai plateau. Suddenly, I remember the verses I wrote years ago: "I wish that in the morning by the street / wild sunflowers hold dew-kissed blossoms / like a realm of longing, I dream / of a person's figure nestled within the form of flowers."

I remember those mornings, strolling along the small slope near my house, dew still clinging to my shoulders, the scent of damp earth and tender grass filling my breath. Wild sunflowers stood on either side of the path, tilting their heads as if greeting an acquaintance. Suddenly, my heart calmed down. I felt indebted to the flowers, for amidst the hustle and bustle of life, they still bloomed, dedicating themselves to the earth and sky. Therefore, even when I was at my most vulnerable, most discouraged, the flowers always comforted and consoled me, leaving me without a word of sorrow. For me, wild sunflowers represent the purest form of affection, like dew drops clinging to the clothes of youth, like the days I left Hanoi , choosing and loving this land.

Wild sunflowers bloom yellow at the foot of Chu Dang Ya mountain. Photo: Hong Hanh

I remember those first days setting foot in Ia Gri. The red dirt road was lined with wildflowers on both sides. Barefoot children in T-shirts laughed loudly in the sun. Looking back now, I realize that the most beautiful memories aren't far away, but in the clear eyes of those children amidst the golden season of that year.

This year, during the wild sunflower season, the street remains as small as ever, only the hearts of the people are filled with more unease. Each flower season, I ask myself: "I wonder if I'll see wild sunflowers blooming like this next year?" It's a seemingly trivial question, yet it's a sincere one. Because of age, the struggle for survival, and so many other worries, I sometimes forget to stop and admire this flower that fills my imagination.

This afternoon, I suddenly saw wild sunflowers shimmering in the wind. Each petal was like a sliver of the setting sun, holding onto a little warmth for passersby. I suddenly wanted to walk towards the hills covered in flowers, to listen to the grass singing, to feel the scent of sunshine dissolving in my hair. Sometimes, just being quietly amidst a patch of wild sunflowers is enough to feel alive, to love, to be moved by the fragile yet proud beauty of nature.

As I sit here writing, my phone buzzes with a new message from a friend in Hung Yen: “It’s the season for wild sunflowers, isn’t it? Have you managed to do a preliminary visit to Chu Dang Ya yet? This season, I definitely won’t break our promise again…” This promise has accompanied us through so many flower seasons. I know that within that message lies an unspoken affection. Like me, I still wait every year, still reply to my friend in the twilight falling through the window: “The wild sunflowers have bloomed, brother. The Central Highlands are ablaze like a golden dream amidst the cold winds.”

The season of wild sunflowers has arrived. The red soil is gently bathed in familiar yellow hues. On every hillside, every slope, the flowers bloom naturally, like the smile of a highland girl. And I, gathering all my scattered thoughts and uncertainties, continue writing in an unfinished book of memories. Because who knows, amidst the vast distances, just the mention of the wild sunflowers swaying in the wind might remind me that I still have a place to return to.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/mua-da-quy-ve-post570237.html