Lifelong learning to master yourself

1. My neighbor Mr. Tinh stopped by my house and asked:

- Mr. Khang, do you have last week's Sunday newspaper?

I replied, "Sorry, I haven't subscribed to that newspaper for a while now. What's the matter, sir?"

- No problem. Let me go to Mr. Thin. Mr. Tinh said and left. Twenty minutes later, he returned to my house with last week's provincial newspaper in his hand. And not only that. Mr. Tinh also dragged Mr. Thin along. Mr. Thin was tall and lanky, in his hand was a Larousse dictionary, as thick and heavy as a three-ball brick. Strangely, both of them were blushing.

- What's going on between you two that looks so tense?

Mr. Thin put the French dictionary on the coffee table:

- Here, Mr. Khang, look. I think that Vung Tau used to have a Western name, Cap Saint Jacque. But Mr. Tinh here thinks that Cap Saint Jacque is Cape Saint Jacque.

- That's not all - Mr. Tinh interrupted Mr. Thin: - I would like to add that I remember that writer Nguyen Tuan once said: Saint Jacque is the name of a sea snail. And the Tuoi Tre newspaper issue of August 18, 1991 also wrote that Saint Jacque is a snail that can see clearly at night. So I asked Mr. Khang to open this dictionary to see the truth.

Oh my god! Both of you are old enough to know the ancients, yet you are still enthusiastically debating the right and wrong of a proper noun. It is truly admirable. I smiled to reconcile the two of you, then changed the subject. Then Mr. Thin smiled:

- We were also going to ask your opinion. Here is an announcement from the City Elderly Association published in this issue of the newspaper. Please take a look. Unfortunately, I just signed up for a class to learn how to play the zither, otherwise I would have followed Mr. Tinh.

I picked up the newspaper and skimmed through the notice. Sure enough, there was an announcement from the City Senior Citizens Association: Next month, there will be an English communication class. The target audience is those who are interested.

More than once, I was surprised to see the two old people. Mr. Tinh is one year younger than Mr. Thin, but both of them are almost 80 years old. Almost 80 years old and still going to school. And even going to school to learn English and play the piano.

- I calculated: Whatever I learn now will be profitable!

Mr. Thin said. Mr. Tinh added:

- Only when you are old do you know how precious old age is. Knowing how to live is always a happy life. That is a foreign proverb I just learned.

Mr. Tinh really went to English class. Twice a day, a motorbike taxi driver took him there and back. But after a week, I saw that he was still at home that morning, so I rushed over to visit him. It turned out that yesterday, he was on his way home when it rained and he had a sudden high blood pressure attack.

- Just take a day off, tomorrow I will go back to school. The class is full of my children and grandchildren. I am the only one who is old. Mr. Tinh said: But it doesn't matter. Let me tell you: The writer in charge of the class asked me. You are old, why do you still go to school? I said, Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher (470 - 399 BC) still went to learn to play the lyre when he was old. People asked: Why do you study when you are old? The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates replied: To know how to play the lyre before you die. And Alfred Musset, the French poet said: Man is a lifelong learner. The writer hugged me and said: I admire you. The passion for learning is a pure passion, of a heavenly and great nature, old man!

2. The small story expressing the desire to learn and improve knowledge above seems to be an isolated event, but it turns out not to be. In fact, around us, the scene of young and old people diligently studying to improve their knowledge is a bustling scene that takes place every day. The youth look forward to a bright future. It is never too late. The elderly try to keep up with the constant evolution of life. How touching it is to witness the scene of women holding their children, diligently practicing writing their first lines. The elderly beside the table lamp, curling their tongues to pronounce an English word. The eagerness to penetrate the world of modern science and technology is truly the scene of all social classes today. Modern knowledge has become the desire of real people in the scene of a learning society being built. Encouraging learning and talent, which originated from a family or a locality, has become a popular activity. I study for self-respect, because only when we respect ourselves can we respect others. I study because I hate ignorance. Study from school. Study from friends. And self-study. Self-study is the most successful path to cultivating talents and great people. Education is the national policy of the country. Vietnamese people are inherently intelligent and hard-working. Legend has it that Mac Dinh Chi was poor, every night he put fireflies in eggshells to use as lamps to light up his face and became a top scholar in the Tran Dynasty. When he went as an envoy to the Yuan Dynasty (China), he was also awarded the title of top scholar, so he was called the top scholar of two countries.

The decision of the Politburo in February 2025 is full of humanity: free tuition for all students from kindergarten to high school in public schools, which has excited society and is creating opportunities for the intellectual and spiritual development of the young generation on the path to a prosperous and happy era for the nation.

3. “Lifelong learning is the key for Vietnam to enter a new era.” That is the title of an article full of inspiration and vision by General Secretary To Lam that appeared in the press in March 2025. In that article, after summarizing the achievements in learning of the whole country, the Party leader also pointed out some limitations. Such as training and education still follow the quantity without really paying attention to quality. Such as there is still a situation of learning according to trends, craze for degrees without really basing on practical requirements. Therefore, there is still a situation of limitations in expertise and profession. Such as there is a group of cadres, civil servants, public employees, and workers who are satisfied with the knowledge they have learned in schools, or study only to complete degrees to qualify for promotion...

While reading the article of the highest leader of our Party, I often discussed it with my friends as usual. “What idea or paragraph do you like the most?” That was my question. Many responses coincided with my thoughts. However, this was the answer of my friend, Associate Professor Tran Dinh Huynh, an excellent political writer, which gave me a new energy to perceive.

- “Learning for life to dare to think, dare to speak, dare to do, dare to take responsibility, dare to sacrifice for the common good, to become useful people”. That is one of the General Secretary's writings that I found very touching.

- Why?

I asked again. There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds. And then, this was my friend's reply:

- Do you know the following idea of ​​F. Engels: Study to win freedom? The quote expressing that idea is printed in Complete Works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, page 164, volume 20, as follows: “Every step forward on the path of culture is a step towards freedom.”

Oh, if that's so, then I understand. If freedom is an inevitable realization, then General Secretary To Lam was very right when he said: Study throughout your life to know how to master yourself and your work; dare to oppose unjust glory and wealth, and if necessary, dare to sacrifice personal interests for the Party, for the Fatherland and the people.

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/9/171361/hoc-tap-suot-doi-de-biet-lam-chu-ban-than