Ho Chi Minh City residents happily take photos with soldiers in the parade - Photo: TONG PHUOC BAO

Mom often told stories of April, full of emotion when the bright stars lit up the night. As the days went by, people became more and more anxious with worry. On the last night before liberation, Mom hardly slept. Stayed awake to wait for news. Stayed awake to wait for her brothers to return as promised. Stayed awake to see the troops advancing toward the city as whispered by her neighbors.

Stay awake and wait for the morning. A fierce morning to wait for the day when the country will no longer have gunfire. That noon, when the surrender was broadcast on Saigon Radio, the whole neighborhood poured into the streets waving flags. Meeting and hugging each other. Tears mixed with laughter. The war is over, only thinking of peace to live, living a life without looking around for separation, fearing death.

So, whenever she had a chance to go out, Mom would ask her children to take her around to see the city streets. Every time she returned, Mom would praise how beautiful the city was, with many sparkling lights, many luxurious shops, many huge supermarkets...

There are so many things that make Mom nod. Having lived her whole life in this land, Mom often says that this land actually has nothing, only the fragrance and goodness because it has gone through so many ups and downs, so people just love each other and live.

I remember in early April, my friends and I went to watch the movie “Tunnels - Sun in the Dark”. At night, we all went around the city to watch the soldiers setting up the stage on Le Duan Street, towards the Reunification Palace. Emotions kept rising because of the sacrifices of the generation that had dedicated their lives for the peaceful Fatherland like today.

In the minds of those born when the country was unified, we look at the dirt of the young guerrillas hiding in the tunnels to fight to the death to protect our homeland and feel so happy to be Vietnamese. If you ask if peace is beautiful? I believe that millions of Vietnamese people on this S-shaped strip of land will all answer with one word: Beautiful.

During the epidemic season, during the days of social distancing, although the people of this city were worried about the increasing number of infected cases and the ropes everywhere, their stubbornness was more evident than ever. Even a 5-year-old child boldly put on a green shirt and got on the car to the quarantine area without crying. The clip was posted online and widely shared by people. The harsher the situation, the more indomitable and steadfast the people of this city are.

The city is isolated but not isolated from the heart. Zero-dong kitchens have flourished with tens of thousands of meals spreading to isolated areas, poor alleys, and boarding houses. People spend their own money, their own effort, and call on each other to join hands to help. There are warm and loving kitchens like this everywhere. The female vendors at Tan Dinh market have put down their stalls and run to the kitchen to cook. No income but joy. The joy is that our fellow countrymen can have a warm meal together.

People often say that this city never sleeps. In fact, it was not until the city was sealed off to fight the pandemic that I understood. City people are always awake to update all the news of relatives and friends. Staying awake to send each other kind words, to love and hope for peace through these dangerous days. We all believe that this land will be fine. Everything is like a challenge for us to learn to adapt, accept and improvise in adversity.

There are people who choose to leave the city and return to the countryside, but for those who choose to stay in this city, because they still have some ability to stay, or because they do not have the means, the road is too far, or for a myriad of other reasons, the city people still join hands to help them get through the pandemic safely. After so many years of wandering in this land, they know that this place cannot abandon anyone, especially in times of trouble or danger.

The city stays awake to joke around with each other. Tell jokes to dispel the gloom. Wish each other peace at home, eat well, sleep well, and make plans to meet again after the pandemic. Suddenly, the city feels optimistic and humorous. The whole city connects with each other through social networks, whispering with tips and tricks about strange dishes and delicious food. This land, in any situation, comforts itself with the strongest belief.

The city is still awake, on the streets there are still people running around giving out bread, sticky rice, water, and masks to many unfortunate and homeless people. The city never sleeps, when it is strong, the lights are green and red, when it is weak, it is still full of shining human love.

The city still has intact feelings for each other, with plans, with a rhythmic distribution so that everywhere has a portion, a piece of food at this time, which is truly the most urgent and necessary for the people, especially the disadvantaged. And stay awake, to see the love following each other down to this warm sunny land in the South, like many times the city has stayed awake because of storms and floods in the Central region, because of landslides in the North.

Having lived in this splendid city for more than half of my life, I have not seen the expensive city anywhere, I only know that everywhere on the streets, there is always free iced tea, free bread... Perhaps it was only when I have experienced enough goodness on this land that I realized my mother's saying that this city has nothing at all. Here, there is only complete love for each other. No one knows whether we are good or bad in this season, just open your heart and share with each other.

My friend, the young coffee shop owner, brought sweet potatoes from Dong Thap and diligently packed them into bags, sending the heart of the West to Ho Chi Minh City. “Rescue” is a word often heard at busy intersections. From purple sweet potatoes to Bac Giang lychees, this land joins hands to consume even though we are also struggling through the economic turmoil.

This land is like that, not colorful or clever, just living a period of life with the warm sunny city of the South will see the nature of righteousness, generosity, stubbornness and love for people as if it is ingrained in the blood. This land is everywhere. Whether strange or familiar, we love each other completely. Love from the heart, love from the crossroads, love from the crossroads!

Love each other as you love this land. The place that has given us a life to live. And we must live with the mindset of leaving something behind when one day it turns into dust and flies away to the white clouds. That is also the sentiment of the Hero of the People's Armed Forces To Van Duc, whom I was fortunate to meet during the activities towards the great celebration of the 50th anniversary of the country being reunited. On the vast green fields of rice, of cassava fields, of clear canals, the land of steel and copper has risen up after the bombings of the past.

The soldier of Cu Chi at that time, determined to stay in his homeland, leaving his fields and gardens to plow to preserve every inch of land of the village, of the neighborhood. And then from the love for this land, the blood of hatred woven the legend of the young man who was only 21 years old to become the "Reluctant Inventor". He was the one who created the mine to prevent tanks and armored vehicles from sweeping into Cu Chi.

In that heroic war, he killed 53 American soldiers and destroyed 13 tanks and armored vehicles of all kinds. Until now, he still says that he was a man who only loved his country and stood up to gain peace. Only peace can make this homeland prosperous and its people well-off. From Bung hamlet of Nhuan Duc commune, I returned to the city center, passing through the green country roads, but my heart still admired this honest and simple man like cassava and sweet potatoes.

However, he still does not allow himself to be called a hero, because for him to have peace today, all Vietnamese people, whether on the front line or in the rear, whether returning or merging into the river and the land, are heroes, not just him. Now, just seeing this city develop brilliantly is his happiness. Everything else will turn into clouds and fly up to the pure land. Only the victories will dye the shores of the homeland red.

The metro took me to Ben Thanh station, from the bustling walking street, I leisurely walked to Bach Dang riverside park. The street was filled with joy. The street was dyed red with the flag. The street was bustling with footsteps. The street was radiant with smiles. The street of that historic April day heard the sound of cannons in fear, but half a century later, the street of the April days celebrating the country's reunification was bustling with peaceful songs of joy. Bach Dang riverside park with the ceremonial artillery rehearsing for the 21-gun cannon firing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the country's reunification is where the citizens of this land gather. They come here to watch, to take pictures, to sit and sing with the soldiers until night. The moment of peace is the warm smiles of the army and the people.

This country is reaching out into a new era. This city is transforming into a megacity. Half a century, smiling lips connect happy seasons, people's hands hold the country and people's feet follow the future. The blue sea and brocade river are the color of peace, isn't it beautiful?

Tong Phuoc Bao

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/bien-xanh-song-gam-tham-mau-hoa-binh-193347.htm