Grow old together in happiness and peace

Mr. Tran Quang Tien and Mrs. Le Thi Nhin live peacefully with their hobbies of reading books and writing poetry every day.

Amidst the increasingly hurried pace of life, the small, simple house filled with the shade of green trees of Mr. Tran Quang Tien and Mrs. Le Thi Nhin (in Group 4, Huong Son Ward, Thai Nguyen City) is always filled with joy. At the age of over 70, the couple devotes their love to books and poems, living their peaceful years.

Both of them used to work at Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Corporation. When they were young, they were caught up in the hustle and bustle of work and family, and did not have as much time for books as they would have liked. Only after retirement did they truly have the opportunity to live out their passion for reading and writing poetry.

In my grandparents' small house, the bookshelf is always neat, with all kinds of books, but mostly literature and social books, and neatly arranged newspapers and magazines.

“I read at least 20 pages of a book every day, a habit I have maintained for years. The more I read, the more I feel the beauty in life and my mind becomes clearer” - Mrs. Nhin held the book in her hand and started the conversation with us.

"Many people say that old age will be lonely, but my wife and I are different. Every day, we feel happy when we live a little slower, read and discuss new books together, share with each other the poems we have just come up with and composed." Mr. Tien smiled, looked at his wife lovingly and read two poems by Ms. Nhin that were selected to be performed at the Lantern Poetry Festival organized by the Thai Nguyen City Literature and Arts Association earlier this year:

"Mud stains brown shirt

Mother's smile is imprinted throughout the four seasons.

As for Mrs. Nhin, she didn't need to open the book, she read her husband's six-eight poem:

"Finding the village's six-eight verse

Sympathy for the patched shirt and hat on the field.

Straw is a friend of fish.

"A lifetime of busy work on the eroding riverbank".

Mrs. Nhin is currently a member of the Poetry Association, Thai Nguyen Province Literature and Arts Association, and Mr. Tien is the Vice Chairman of the May Poetry Club of the province. Loving books and passionate about writing poetry, the couple has so far published two collections of poems together. Without needing to travel far, for them, every day with their soul mate reading a new page of a book and showing off their poems is a happy and meaningful day.

The habit of reading and writing poetry is like a thread that connects two souls in harmony, cherishes their souls, maintains their mental health and nourishes their love as husband and wife.

While Mr. Tien and his wife find joy in old age in every page of a book or poem, at the age of nearly 70, Mr. Tran Quang Minh and his wife Nguyen Thi Bach Yen (in group 13, Hoang Van Thu ward, Thai Nguyen city) start a new day full of energy on a bicycle to explore the roads.

Nearly 10 years ago, Mr. Minh began to love cycling. Every morning, he cycled on new roads, breathing in the fresh air. Receiving much joy and improved health when practicing this sport, from 2020, when Mrs. Yen retired, he invited her to join him. After nearly a year of cycling with her husband, Mrs. Yen's health improved. The pain in her knee joints gradually decreased, her legs became more flexible, and her spirit was also more excited.

Mr. Tran Quang Minh and his wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Bach Yen, often cycle to explore the roads.

“Before, I was a garment worker in a military unit, working hard all year round on the seams, with little time to see and explore the outside world. Now, thanks to cycling, I get to see a new, vibrant world,” Ms. Yen happily shared.

The rides took Mrs. Yen and her husband through every street corner, peaceful country roads, through misty mornings and sparkling sunsets on the Thai Nguyen tea hills. On each new road, they not only discovered beautiful scenery but also felt more clearly the joy of being together.

“The more we travel, the more I love her. In the past, we were so worried about our children that we rarely had time to enjoy simple moments like this together,” Mr. Minh smiled and turned to his wife. “We don’t need to go far, just riding a small bike together is enough. Sometimes when we stop, she smiles and says: This road is beautiful, isn’t it? I nod, the feeling of accompanying my woman on each new journey is wonderful.”

Listening to Mr. Minh and Mrs. Yen's story, I thought to myself that cycling is not only a sport but also a way for them to enjoy life. Each wheel roll is filled with joy, and is also a journey to preserve beautiful memories that Mr. Minh and Mrs. Yen are continuing to write together. And the journey on the wheels not only helps them exercise, discover the beauty of nature and life, but also makes them appreciate each moment together, love life and love themselves more every day.

Finding joy in old age, Mr. Bui Quoc Vuong (76 years old) and Mrs. Tran Thi Giang (75 years old), in Lan 2 residential group, Du town, Phu Luong, are passionate about preserving and maintaining Cheo melodies.

Mr. Vuong and Mrs. Giang were born and raised in Thai Binh - a land famous for traditional Cheo. In 1972, the young couple packed their bags and moved to the newly reclaimed land, starting a life full of difficulties, carrying in their hearts the love for the smooth Cheo melodies of their homeland. In the early days away from home, amidst all the worries, they often turned on the old radio, listened and sang along to the Folk Songs and Traditional Music program on Voice of Vietnam to ease their homesickness.

Mr. Bui Quoc Vuong and Mrs. Tran Thi Giang are passionate about ancient Cheo melodies.

Now, when his hair has turned gray and his children have grown up, that passion has been “rekindled”. Not only singing the collected Cheo melodies, Mr. Vuong has also composed 10 Cheo melodies praising his homeland and country. Every week, Mr. Vuong, Mrs. Giang and members of the Phu Luong Cheo Art Preservation Club practice and perform Cheo melodies, spreading the love of folk art to the people.

Then the old couple joined in a charming conversation between men and women: "We went to the market and sat at the foot of the banyan tree... We saw the wine seller wearing a brown shirt and a green belt."

At the end of the song, Mrs. Giang shared: "When we were young, we were busy with work, so my husband and I didn't have much time to sing Cheo. Now that our children and grandchildren have settled down, we can live our passion again. Every time we sing, we feel lighter and happier."

Listening to the simple singing voices of our grandparents, listening to the simple yet touching Cheo verses, we felt their passionate love for Cheo, and also appreciated more the deep marital love between them.

By chance, I realized that each couple has their own way to make old age more beautiful and worth living. I also understand that happiness in old age does not only lie in material abundance, but more importantly, it is understanding, sharing and enjoying the simple things in life together. Suddenly I realized that the happiest thing in human life is not having many years to live, but during that time we always have someone to pursue our passions and interests together, and grow old together in peace and happiness.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202504/cung-nhau-gia-di-trong-hanh-phuc-an-nhien-2291e32/