Tears well up in the coffee boxes my mother sent from the countryside.

Even though it has been more than 10 years since I graduated from school and chose to work in Ho Chi Minh City, my mother still thoughtfully sent me many things from the countryside, including coffee packages filled with love.

I remember the old days when life in the countryside was still difficult, my mother was always busy working from dawn to dusk with the fields and gardens. However, knowing that I often studied late at night and needed coffee to stay awake, my mother still sent it to me regularly.

Besides reminding me to take care and not to stay up too late because it will affect my health, my mother also advised that if I drink coffee to stay awake, I should use it in moderation and not abuse it, because too much of anything is not good.

Every time I open the coffee bags that my mother carefully wrapped, I see the instructions written down bit by bit, my eyes well up with tears and I feel so sorry for my mother. Because my mother is illiterate, she asked her neighbor's nephew to write them for her.

Rưng rưng những hộp cà phê má gửi từ quê- Ảnh 1. — Author and mother. Photo: VO THI BICH NGOC

Every time I went back to my hometown and then got on the bus back to the city, among the gifts from my hometown that my mother packed and put in my backpack for me to give to my roommates, there were definitely boxes of coffee.

Many nights studying late or waking up early in the morning, making cups of fragrant coffee with lingering smoke, I remember the image of my hard-working mother. Enjoying each passionate drop, I feel like my mother is standing next to me, comforting me tenderly.

Mom, no one in this world understands and loves me like you do. I know that even though I am far from home, the bond between me and my family is always strong because of the coffee packages you send me.

It was that flavor that touched the heart of a child far from home, giving him more spiritual motivation to try harder and make more efforts. I am grateful to my mother because she gave me more energy to walk steadily on the path of life...

( Entry to the contest "Impressions of Vietnamese coffee and tea" under the program "Honoring Vietnamese coffee and tea" for the 2nd time, 2024 organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper).