Casual conversation: Something is waiting for me.

City dwellers seem to have forgotten nature. They remember the roads leading to school, the market, the hospital; they remember the faces they encounter and interact with. But they rarely remember what the weather was like that day, through the wind and sun, and whether the trees were blooming or shedding their leaves.

The rush propelled them forward. It was work, after all; everyone wanted to finish quickly. People longed to go home, to quickly get this or that done, and then lie down. Just lie down. To soothe their aching backs and weary legs.

I forget things too. I think about what I'm doing while shopping, about things I need to buy while packing, about the books I'm reading while driving to work. My head is crammed with thoughts about the future. Sometimes, it's thoughts stuck in the past. I'm not really thinking about what I'm doing, in the present moment. I'm busy, and I use that as an excuse to pretend to forget many things. Forgetting to water the plants, letting the pretty ceramic pots I painstakingly searched for wither away. Forgetting my intention to get a new fish, the glass tank is dusty and has dried algae clinging to the bottom. Forgetting going to the zoo, going to the park. Forgetting even the things I need to do for myself.

One day, I no longer had the strength to drive myself home. I took a ride-hailing motorbike, sat behind the driver, and remained silent. During those rare moments when someone drove me like this, I usually spent my time thinking about unresolved issues. But today, I let my mind relax, letting it soar like a kite in the wind. A kite of thoughts took flight. I looked around and spotted a girl sitting behind a boy, their motorbike driving parallel to mine. She was filming something, and she looked very happy. I glanced over. And I was overwhelmed.

The sun was setting. In the sky, the sunlight spread out in golden hues. Halos of purple and deep blue blended together, enhancing the yellow. There were even patches of vibrant red dissolving into pink. Before my eyes, nature painted a colorful picture. The colors were constantly shifting. With each passing minute, the colors changed, and the sky grew darker.

If I didn't look up, I'd miss that beautiful moment, of course. I wouldn't even know what I'd missed. I'd keep rushing forward, with all my thoughts, forgetting everything around me. Forgetting the wet, rain-soaked wind that gently caressed my skin. Forgetting the ripe, brown blossoms of the starfruit trees on the left side of the road, their clusters falling and swirling like dancing. Forgetting the small crape myrtle tree at the corner, as tall as me, its blossoms a brilliant purple, like it was wearing a crown.

It seems that nature remains quietly green, quietly bursting with color, waiting for people to see it. It seems that there are things silently waiting for us out there. All we need to do is look up. All we need to do is notice. All we need to do is slow down.

I loosened the soil in the pots where the plants had withered, planning to buy new seeds. From the dry soil, as the black seeds scattered, a new sprout unfurled its tiny leaf, gazing at me. It had been waiting here, waiting for me to see it, waiting to drink some cool water. Strangely, I suddenly remembered it had been a long time since I called home…

Putting aside the overwhelming tasks, which I knew wouldn't hurt to delay things for a few more days, I rewarded myself with an early night's sleep. I would shift my pace of life. Waking up at dawn, I put on my shoes; I wasn't feeling well enough to run, so I walked instead. Trees along the road greeted me with the rustling of the wind. The jasmine blossoms in someone's yard were in full bloom, their fragrance lingering like a carefully wrapped gift waiting to be given to someone who knows how to cherish them. Looking up, the dawn seemed to be waiting, carrying the colors of hope.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhan-dam-dieu-gi-do-dang-doi-minh-185251004192102648.htm