The days they met were days of happiness in danger. But they raised a happy family for nearly half a century.
Mr. Hai and his wife sing about Truong Son - Photo by LUONG DINH KHOA
His name is Bui Van Hai, born in 1949. His memorable youth years were 19 years of driving (from 1967), attached to the battlefields in the Central, Southern and Cambodia regions.
And he met her - the person who shared his life for the rest of his life, going through many difficulties with him to build happiness for nearly half a century.
Her name is Le Thi Ngoc Hoa, the same year of the Ox as him. She was a youth volunteer, sent to support the front lines in the Quang Tri area.
In 1972, she stayed in Quang Tri to teach supplementary education to local people. Because they worked in the same area near the Truong Son Martyrs' Cemetery, she and he had the chance to meet and develop feelings for each other.
From the days of hardship and danger
The days when she and he met were happy days in danger. She said the area where she lived was coastal in Gio Hai commune, Gio Linh district. There were no roads there.
“I remember when I came to an A-shaped road, in the middle of the sandbank there was a casuarina tree growing, a friend approached to go to the toilet, but stepped on a mine and was blown up, leaving nothing behind. That was a memory of the fierce war, even after liberation, bombs and bullets still remained” – Ms. Hoa recalled.
In 1976, their wedding took place while they were both participating in the construction of the Truong Son National Martyrs' Cemetery.
“The military wedding was very fun. It would have taken only about 3km to pick up the bride on foot, but the groom drove a truck and a bomb disposal vehicle to Gio Linh to pick up the bride, a distance of about 30km to be… polite,” he recalled.
Photo of Mr. Hai and Mrs. Hoa after the wedding - Photo by LUONG DINH KHOA (retaken)
She looked at the black and white photo with yellow stains hanging solemnly on the wall next to the coffee table, her eyes filled with emotion. She could not forget the image of the groom driving an armored vehicle, along with another vehicle carrying his comrades to pick up the bride. Then everyone sang happy songs, songs of hope for the day of victory throughout the whole journey that day.
After the wedding, he continued to participate in the K front.
In 1979, the war broke out in the North, and the former Truong Son engineer soldier continued to serve on the battlefield. She raised her child alone, waiting for news, praying for him to return safely...
Then he returned as he wished, to build a family with 4 children. “Life is very happy. I have 11 grandchildren, 4 of whom are in college. Now I mainly stay home to take my grandchildren to school.”
To the days of singing together
He took out his guitar and strummed a few tunes about Truong Son. As a natural emotion, she sang in a small room of an apartment building in Kien Hung ward (Ha Dong, Hanoi).
He is working in the ward art troupe, and she is the captain of the art troupe.
In early 2020, he was diagnosed with cancer, but his soldierly qualities always showed optimism and positivity, which made her gradually less worried, telling herself to accept everything with the utmost peace of mind.
“Everything in life has an expiration date. The important thing is the present moment, while it is still “expired”, we should cherish it, use it well and meaningfully so that when it “expires” there will be no regrets,” she said.
The couple came to burn incense for their comrades at the Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum – Photo by LUONG DINH KHOA
And on special occasions of the country, we see the couple in green military uniforms going out to buy flowers. Then he drives his old car, taking her about 5-6km to the Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum.
The two of them lit incense and prayed. Each time, he stood still for a long time, touching each name with tears in his eyes. Then he took out his guitar and gently strummed it… She softly sang: “ So long and so far away – are the days of longing. Where the fire burns is the heart of love ”…
Tuoitre.vn
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ben-nhau-gan-nua-the-ky-nhu-la-mot-phan-cua-nhau-20240929101103084.htm
Comment (0)