Soldier's Peace

Kể chuyện hòa bình - Ảnh 1. — When we grow old together, we have each other, go together, share the ups and downs we have experienced, cherish the present and be happier - Illustration: TU TRUNG

Looking at the photo of my father taken after peace was restored, I couldn't help but feel sad. The day he left the army after 9 years on the fierce battlefield, my father was only a young man of 28 years old.

Even at his prime, my father was so skinny that my grandmother said he was "no different from an extra pole hanging on his clothes."

Malaria twice a month

My father looked at the picture, his voice even as he told the story of the past. Back then, like many other young men in the village, he eagerly joined the army. After 9 long years on the fierce battlefield, he returned to the surprise of his family amid the news of many young people in the village being sacrificed.

9 years since dad left, my grandmother was like a lost soul. 9 years of exhaustion, every Tet, after preparing everything, she fell ill because she missed her child.

Nine years later, the day my father returned home safely was the day she felt like she was reborn again. She hugged him, crying and laughing, unable to speak. His six younger siblings, who were once tiny, now grown up, also ran from all over to congratulate him.

The house had been gloomy for 9 years since Dad left, but now it was filled with happiness. Just by listening to Dad tell the story, I could clearly see the joy of the whole family at that time. I had to turn away to hide my teary eyes and also to avoid looking at Dad's lips that were trembling with a smile.

I remember my father telling me that before he went to war, he had an engagement with a girl from Hai Hau coastal area - where he stopped on his way to war. I blurted out: "When you returned, why did she only come to visit you once?"

Dad looked into the distance and said: "I returned to the village with a crippled body, having malaria attacks twice a month. No one would dare come near me. People have to be selective."

My father returned to the village at a young age, married, and had many children. Knowing that my father was constantly ill, and that there was a girl in the village who was pregnant out of wedlock, some people even told my grandmother to go and pick up the mother and child so that my father could have both the buffalo and the calf. My grandmother scolded them all day because she was angry and felt sorry for my father.

When my father told me that, he turned to look at my mother, smiled brightly and said: "They looked down on me so much. The day I brought my mother home to meet my grandparents, the whole village came to see. They didn't think I could marry a young and beautiful wife like you." My father said that because he was a whole year older than my mother.

Hearing my father's story, my mother interjected: "Your father is just being bold now, but in the past, when he couldn't give birth to you two, he wrote a divorce petition to free your mother."

Dad said that the battlefield was fierce back then, he didn’t know if the place he passed through was contaminated with Agent Orange or not, many of his comrades were infertile or had deformed children, he didn’t want to ruin mom’s future because of him. Luckily, my sister and I were born healthy after two years of waiting by the whole family.

9 year "trip"

No wonder my father always took time to look after us every night, every morning, every meal. Despite his poor health, my father never complained, he worked hard to make a living to raise my sisters and me to be good people.

Even though I witnessed the days when my father was tortured by malaria and tuberculosis, I never saw him depressed or lose his vitality.

Despite his constant illness, as soon as he recovered, my father rushed back to work, never wavering from any task. He never let my mother and I lack anything. Even though the neighbors had to eat mixed food, our family still had enough white rice for three meals a day.

I asked my father if he regretted those 9 years, he said: "It's hard for anyone to have a 9-year trip with vivid reality and many experiences like me". Indeed, those were extremely precious years marking a heroic youth in the bustling atmosphere of the whole country that few people have.

Now, every day my parents are together, cooking simple meals, drinking coffee for breakfast, watching good movies and listening to traditional opera. As a daughter, I feel happy to see my parents being close together.

Every day, my father still cycled to visit my grandmother. My grandmother still opened the cupboard to take out the best and most nutritious food she had to force her eldest son to eat to regain his strength.

This year my grandmother is 96 years old, my father is 78 years old, every day looking at her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, the four generations living together around her, my grandmother keeps saying: "Our family is truly blessed, our ancestors have blessed your father so that he could return safely like that. If he had not returned that day, I would not have lived until now".

I was also quite surprised that my father was getting healthier. Perhaps the spirit of a soldier who never wavered in the face of difficulties, always optimistic and loving life, and a moderate lifestyle helped my father live happily and healthily with his wife and children.

Thank you readers for submitting your entries to the Peace Storytelling contest.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of peace, the Peace Storytelling writing contest (organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper, accompanied by Vietnam Rubber Group, taking place from March 10 to April 15) allows readers to send in touching, unforgettable stories of each family, each person as well as thoughts about the reunification day of April 30, 1975, about 50 years of peace.

The contest is open to all Vietnamese people at home and abroad, without age or occupation restrictions.

Peace Stories accepts articles of up to 1,200 words in Vietnamese, with accompanying photos and videos, and sent to the email address [email protected]. Articles are only accepted via email, not via post to avoid loss.

Quality entries will be selected to be published on Tuoi Tre products, receive royalties, and the entries that pass the preliminary round will be printed into a book (no royalties paid - no sale). The entries must not have participated in any other writing contest and must not have been published on any media or social networks.

Authors are responsible for the copyright of their articles, photos and videos. They will not accept illustrative photos and videos taken from social networks without copyright. Authors must provide their address, phone number, email, account number, and citizen identification number so that the organizers can contact them and send them royalties or prizes.

As of April 11, the Peace Storytelling writing contest has received 500 entries from readers.

Award Ceremony and Book Launch of Peace Stories

The jury, including famous journalists, cultural figures and representatives of Tuoi Tre newspaper, will review and award prizes from the preliminary entries and choose to award prizes to the best entries.

The award ceremony, book launch of Peace Storytelling and special issue of Tuoi Tre newspaper 30-4 are expected to be held at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street at the end of April 2025. The decision of the organizing committee is final.