Sharing her thoughts on the "Father and Daughter" writing contest, author Vien Nguyet Ai wrote: "Knowing about this contest was like finding a warm and loving place to express my feelings and memories of my father."
I was a participant in the 2nd "Father and Daughter" writing contest in 2024 and was honored to receive an award, a moment filled with both joy and emotion. Every time I think back to this memory, my gratitude resurfaces as if it were still fresh.
I still vividly remember the words of journalist Ho Minh Chien - Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Family Magazine, Head of the Organizing Committee of the second "Father and Daughter" writing contest - at the awards ceremony: "The bond between a father and daughter is never old; it will forever be a sacred emotional connection, linking beautiful values that would be difficult to grasp without being expressed through writing."
People's Artist Hoang Cuc also shared: "When I learned about the writing contest 'Father and Daughter,' I immediately started writing because just mentioning my father brought back memories like a slow-motion film, causing emotions to flow freely onto the page."
That's absolutely true. Words of love and stories about father-daughter relationships—especially between a father and daughter—are always something so quiet, silently flowing like a gentle stream to the vast source of familial affection, felt deep within the hearts of those involved. Often, it's difficult to express it in words; it's overwhelming.
If you're a father with a daughter, or a daughter of a father, you've probably felt awkward at least a few times when expressing affection, love, or heartfelt gratitude to each other in situations where it felt necessary to do so.
I used to be like that too, too embarrassed to say, "I'm grateful to you, Dad! I love you!" So, even though I loved my father immensely, I kept it hidden, not knowing if he ever felt it. Only when he passed away did I realize I no longer had the chance to express anything to him. Therefore, when I came across the writing contest "Father and Daughter" launched by Vietnam Family Magazine, I felt like I had found a warm and loving place to express my feelings and memories of my father, to share stories overflowing with the father-daughter bond hidden deep within my recollections...
The competition, with its profound meaning and emphasis on the imagery and stories of "Father and Daughter," made me realize that this unchanging bond not only brings peace and stability to those involved (the contestants) amidst all the storms and hardships, but also moves many outsiders (readers) who hear and witness each story written by different individuals on this theme, touching them with the strong and noble connection of family, the profoundly significant presence of "father and daughter" that almost everyone acknowledges.
I felt as if I could hear the father's joy overflowing through the pages as I read Trinh Dinh Nghi's article: "That night, when you were born, it was raining heavily, and besides the midwife, only your father was with your mother. So when you were born, your father was the first to hold his daughter in his arms. Your cry meant that my happiness also burst forth. That indescribable, overwhelming emotion has stayed with me throughout my life."
And as if witnessing a decisive moment, the absolute support of a father for his daughter; the daughter's lingering regret at not having had the chance to shine brightly before her father passed away: "Many decades have passed, but I still remember vividly my father's words when he learned I had been selected for the singing competition: 'You must go. Leave the family and go. Only art can free your soul. Only then can you live as yourself.' My father passed away before he could witness my artistic growth. Perhaps that is the greatest regret that life has made me bear" (People's Artist Hoang Cuc).
I was captivated by the book "Father and Daughter," reading many of the entries and even putting myself in the shoes of a reader to feel the "heartfelt voices" of the authors as they recounted stories of their fathers and daughters. These stories deeply moved and touched me, filled with the beautiful and profound love between father and daughter: there was overwhelming joy and happiness, laughter and tears, as well as sorrow, anguish, tolerance, and comfort... These rich and complete emotional nuances, expressed through each word, soothed my soul amidst the hurried pace of life.
There's a message I vaguely remember hearing somewhere a long time ago: "A father is his daughter's first hero, and a daughter is her father's eternal love." I've always understood the meaning of that wonderful feeling, but it wasn't until I put pen to paper and participated in this particularly meaningful competition that I truly opened my heart, had the opportunity to express my feelings, and gained a deeper understanding of the theme "Father and Daughter," allowing me to fully appreciate its sacred value.
Thank you, Vietnam Family Magazine! Thank you to the "Father and Daughter" contest for being a bridge that extends and broadens stories filled with love!
Source: https://giadinhonline.vn/tim-thay-noi-gui-gam-thuong-nho-ve-cha-tu-cuoc-thi-viet-cha-va-con-gai-d204984.html
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