FAMILY AND COUNTRY AFFAIRS

Many of us cannot remember how many times we have visited Uncle Ho's hometown, how many times we have heard familiar stories about him that still fill us with emotion. After more than 50 years of separation in the haunting nostalgia of " being away from home for a moment, but for decades ", he returned to his hometown not as President, but as a son who has been away for a long time, now returning to visit his father's hometown, his mother's land, to visit his poor and miserable neighbors of the past.

Many witnesses recounted that on the morning of June 16, 1957, when Uncle Ho had just arrived in Nghe An, the provincial leaders invited him to stay at the newly built guest house, but Uncle Ho calmly said: " I have been away from home for a long time, so I need to go home first. The guest house is for receiving guests, for guests to stay. I am a family member, not a guest ." What few people noticed later was that Uncle Ho returned to his hometown on a Sunday morning. Surely this was not a coincidence for a person who always " put public affairs first" , always clearly distinguishing between public and private affairs like our Uncle Ho.

According to the Special Information and Documentation Issue, No. XVI, September 2014 of the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site, from October 15, 1954 - the day Uncle returned to the Capital until August 12, 1969 - the day Uncle fell seriously ill, President Ho Chi Minh made 923 field trips, worked, and visited localities and units. The provinces that Uncle visited the most were: Bac Ninh 18 times, Hung Yen 10 times, Hai Phong 9 times, Thai Binh 5 times, Thanh Hoa 4 times, Quang Ninh 9 times... The history of local Party committees and through the memories of many people who were fortunate enough to meet and work with Uncle Ho, there are many touching stories, thoughtful and profound teachings right from his work, lifestyle, and noble personality.

Just through the story of Uncle Ho visiting the family of a poor cleaning lady in the capital on the night of the 30th of Tet, it has moved and awakened many people about the morality of "the healthy leaves cover the torn leaves" in daily life; about the disease of bureaucracy, lack of closeness to the people, lack of care for the people of a part of the "servants" of the people. Educating and training cadres and people from all that naturally emanates from their thoughts and exemplary actions, that is the revolutionary method, the morality of Ho Chi Minh.

Regarding his homeland, from the day the country gained independence in September 1945, to the day he " returned to the world of the virtuous", Uncle Ho only visited his homeland twice, the second time on December 8-11, 1961. Despite being so busy with national affairs, deep in his heart, Uncle Ho always reserved for his " homeland of great love and affection" a warm affection and deep concern.

According to incomplete statistics, from 1930 until before he passed away, Uncle Ho had 9 articles, 31 letters, 10 speeches, and 3 telegrams sent to his hometown. Notably, in mid-1969, anticipating his health, Uncle Ho sent a letter to the Nghe An Party Executive Committee : "What should we do next? That is: Actively implement democracy with the people more/ Restore and develop the economy/ Take great care of the people's lives and try to contribute more efforts to join the army and people of the whole country to completely defeat the American invaders" . The Nghe An Party Committee and people always considered this as his sacred Testament dedicated to his hometown, a motivation to strive to fulfill Uncle Ho's teachings: " I hope that the compatriots and comrades of the province will strive to make Nghe An quickly become one of the best provinces in the North".

THE COUNTRY IS STILL THE HOMELAND FOR A THOUSAND YEARS

Uncle Ho was born in his mother's village of Chua, and spent his childhood in his father's village of Sen in Nam Dan, Nghe An. Deep in his heart, his hometown was also Duong No village, the citadel - the place associated with his childhood with his mother who worked hard all her life to educate her husband and children, and to nurture his great ambitions; the ultimate pain of losing his mother and younger brother when he was only 10 years old; and the imperial capital of Hue - the place that nurtured and educated intellectuals, shaped his personality, patriotism, and aspiration for national liberation.

Surely, along with his hometown Nam Dan, Nghe An, the childhood years in Hue Citadel were a very important time in acquiring knowledge, forming personality, patriotism and the desire for national liberation of the young man Nguyen Tat Thanh.

Uncle Ho's homeland is the sunny and windy land of Binh Khe - Binh Dinh - where Nguyen Tat Thanh came to say goodbye to his father; where he was instilled with the desire to save the country by his father: The country is lost, if you don't find a way to save the country, why look for your father? Think of the situation where Nguyen Trai bid farewell to his father Nguyen Phi Khanh at Nam Quan pass in the summer of Dinh Hoi year 1407; when Nguyen Phi Khanh taught his son: Go back to the South, find a way to take revenge, rather than shed tears of male weakness on this path of resentment and injustice...

Still remember, before writing the Testament to be sent to the next generation, on February 15, 1965, Uncle Ho went to Con Son, "visited" Nguyen Trai. Born more than 5 centuries apart (1380-1890), but there was a strange coincidence, like a historical appointment of two outstanding politicians and military men, of two poets and great personalities. It seemed to be a coincidence, a continuation of the thought "humanity is based on peace for the people", "the country takes the people as the root"; the great heart of the great men "Buying an inch of old kindness, day and night the tide of the East rolled".

As for Cao Bang, later the Viet Bac base, a place with “ favorable weather, favorable terrain and harmonious people” , a place with “ good movements from before” , Uncle Ho chose it as a revolutionary base after 30 years of wandering to find a way to save the country. Here, the people of the Tay, Nung, Mong, Dao, Kinh, Hoa, Lo Lo ethnic groups… considered Uncle Ho as their father, grandfather; raised and protected Mr. Ke and the revolutionary bases. The people loved Uncle Ho and followed the revolution, not afraid of hardship and sacrifice for the revolution. General Secretary Le Duan said: “ Uncle Ho’s life is closely linked to the country of Vietnam, especially to the people of Cao Bang… That is the honor and pride of Cao Bang”.

For the people of the South, Uncle Ho always had a very special affection. In 1969, when receiving journalist Marta Rojas (Granma Newspaper - the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Cuba), Uncle Ho said: " In the South, each person, each family has their own pain . Combining the pain of each person, each family , it becomes my pain" .

To Uncle Ho, homeland is always synonymous with “ a thousand-year-old homeland”, “ North-South reunion”. Homeland and country are always the concern, the consistent will, the burning desire in his heart: “ I have only one desire, the utmost desire, which is to make our country completely independent, our people completely free, our compatriots all have food to eat, clothes to wear, and education ”.

General Secretary Le Duan affirmed: "Our nation, our people, our country gave birth to President Ho, the great national hero and he himself made our nation, our people, our country glorious" . Perhaps that is the most complete, profound and also the simplest assessment of our Uncle Ho.

UNCLE LEAVE YOUR LOVE FOR US

Every time we remember Uncle Ho, every time we celebrate his birthday, it is an opportunity for us to reflect more. Uncle Ho left us a truly monumental legacy. That is an independent and complete country, a brilliant revolutionary cause, a bright example and a noble and pure lifestyle. Uncle Ho also left behind: "Myriad of love for all the people, the whole Party, the entire army, the youth and children".

“Loving Uncle Ho makes our hearts purer”. That is the purity of love for the country, the love for the people, for each human being in the immense meaning of the two sacred words “compatriots”. Those are the thoughts and actions we need to learn from Uncle Ho every day: “ Whatever is beneficial to the people, we must do our best, no matter how small. Whatever is harmful to the people, we must avoid at all costs ”.

Always thinking and sincerely doing more and better than his simple but profound advice, we will be somewhat worthy of the boundless love Uncle Ho has for us. Studying and following his great thoughts and shining moral example, we will be confident when speaking from our hearts: our Uncle Ho.