Words that keep life peaceful

Instead of poetry, Nguyen Phong Viet chose prose as a kind gesture to those who appreciate his writing. Readers are "bewildered," wondering why he chose to immerse himself in poetry while passionately pouring his emotions into prose. But rest assured, these are always very real things that Nguyen Phong Viet has carefully preserved over the years, hoping that readers will see themselves reflected in his words.

Turning the pages of life

Occasionally, I still sit with Nguyen Phong Viet at familiar street corners, over a cup of coffee and everyday conversations. That's all, then we each go our separate ways amidst the vastness of this city. But we still read each other's work, knowing that somewhere in the stories we carefully craft on the page, there will be perspectives on human nature and the world that have long been suppressed deep within our hearts. Usually, for writers, this is how it is; the condensed feelings are released, broken free through words. It is on the written page that the author most passionately expresses their feelings, ultimately conveying a message about life. Therefore, with Nguyen Phong Viet, it can be seen that in this new collection of essays, he has chosen to continue the series "We Live …" after three previous publications: " Are We Happy Living?" (2020), "We Live Because…" (2022), and "We Live to Listen" (2023).

Continuing with the theme of life, Nguyen Phong Viet presents 45 essays packed into nearly 200 pages, featuring simple stories such as: Giving money with both hands, My gaze in an old photograph, A lonely posture, Walking under the trees, A windy morning, Trees shedding leaves in all seasons, Fog… Still maintaining a leisurely, narrative style, the stories reveal a philosophy of life distilled from the journey of a middle-aged individual. This means having navigated the ups and downs of human existence, having tasted the bitterness and sweetness of life's many flavors. Having experienced it all, when choosing to reflect on himself, Nguyen Phong Viet engages in a monologue with his own experiences, allowing his words to guide the reader to his own conclusions.

The period of clinging to or letting go of worries in life's journey is always the most unsettling time for us. But, in reality, only when we understand the burdens of our lives do we realize that the weight of our hearts, whether heavy or light, originates from within ourselves. " Worries are like stones; they may start small, but as they roll along life's path each day… one day they might become a high mountain in our hearts " (excerpt from "Letting Go ").

No one else but we ourselves create the mountains of our lives. Happiness or suffering stems from acceptance, adaptation, and change within each individual. Each page of this book is like a page of life; turning it reveals a reflection of ourselves from a time when we were still burdened with heavy responsibilities.

Overcoming sorrow

Just as I finished reading the last page, I received news that this collection of essays had been reprinted just one day after its official release. This is something few authors or books can achieve, at least not at this time, when reading culture is being overshadowed by various forms of entertainment on social media platforms. I wonder what has made readers so eager for this book in these last days of the year? Perhaps it's the light and peaceful feeling after finishing this collection of essays. It's as if we ourselves are reflecting on our lives during a year full of upheaval, affirming a new journey. A journey through worries, reaching for peace.

When reading the essay about the 2024 color selection, organized by the Pantone Color Institute, which resulted in peach being chosen, I felt that this color, symbolizing peace and care, is what people are striving for after going through the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic recession, and news of war… All these impacts led readers to express their feelings when choosing the color of the year. "2024 was the year of peace and care. So, should 2025 be the color of joy and moving forward?" (excerpt from "The Color of Peace ").

Clearly, we only live once, so why not choose to live happily amidst all the joys, sorrows, loves, hates, happiness, and sadness that life inherently prepares for us on our journey? Only by choosing to live happily will we always have a source of positive energy to move forward each day. In the final essay of the book, Nguyen Phong Viet wrote: " We will be different tomorrow, because every step a person takes has some value to the person who takes it " (excerpt from *Footsteps *). Understanding the value of those steps is when we can take the next steps in life with unwavering confidence.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-cau-chu-giu-doi-binh-yen-185241213220845958.htm