Tet in memory My days are extremely busy but happy. My mother sold goods until the evening of the 30th before taking a break.
That whole day was an obsession for my sisters. Just ran in and out to serve my mother’s restaurant, while cleaning and tidying the house, while cooking, preparing offerings… year-end meal At noon, there are sticky rice, chicken, bamboo shoots, vermicelli, five-fruit tray, altar decoration, New Year’s Eve offerings in the house, in the yard… The whole family, everyone worked hard until late at night.
30 Tet My family has never been able to sit and watch a TV show to welcome New Year’s Eve together. But no matter how hard it is, at the right moment of New Year’s Eve, everyone in the family is smiling and happy, so busy it feels like it never existed. Dad always kept the habit of leaving the house a few minutes before New Year’s Eve, and just as the fireworks exploded in the night, he rushed to the ground, and at the same time cleared his throat and called out to my mother and me:
– Where is your mother, where are the children, happy father’s age.
| Happy New Year, don’t let your heart become narrow… Photo: Le Anh Dung |
Over 40 years in my life, since the day memories began to be kept, my family rituals have never changed at the time the clock hands hit the 12 o’clock button. Later, even though there are New Year’s Eve celebrations in her husband’s hometown, the habits and methods may be different, but the feeling of this moment is all the same.
The whole year has this day, at 12 o’clock at night, the electric lights are still lit up, the TV still plays the familiar Happy New Year song, the peach branches are sparkling, the sound of wine corks is being opened and splashed. The elderly wish good health and long life with their children and grandchildren. Adults wish happiness and success. Children wish to study well, grow up quickly. At that moment there was only warmth, peace, love and smiles.
But then, when we grow up, along with Tet, there are many worries, children, birth, money, homeland… Once I mightn’t help it, I tiredly exclaimed: “I’m bored of Tet”. Looking at my father’s sad eyes, my mother’s stunned face, I knew I had made a mistake.
Tet is full of things to worry regarding, but Tet is a reunion, people who have to work far away for a whole year to return, parents’ health, visiting relatives, friends, neighbors, smiles on their lips, and congratulation. peace, is to ignore all the sorrows of the old year, remove the problems in your heart, and look forward to a new year that is always peaceful, full and connected. So don’t rush to complain regarding being bored of Tet, parents waiting for this day to reunite their children and grandchildren, listening to me say that they are bored, how sad they will be.
Like the days when I was a child, I waited for the sound of the drum to end school so I might run home for dinner. Now growing up, I hope the New Year’s Eve fireworks signal a new year is coming.
In the past few years, I have spent the last day of the year for leisure.
In a time when all services are available, most women call someone to clean the house a few days before, the table is set on the right day and time to be displayed to burn incense, both ceremonial and beautiful in appearance. If you want to save money, you don’t need to hire, but make a specific and clear plan yourself, what to prepare, what time to do it, everything is streamlined, scientific, the whole family runs smoothly.
If we can do that, then at the end of the year, instead of rushing to turn off the dark side, we spend time relaxing together: listening to music, confiding, seriously looking at ourselves, listening to the voice of our partner, children children, to see if we are really satisfied companions of each other, whether we are lovable and respectable parents in the eyes of our children; share together, be proud of their achievements and confidently start a journey with new achievements.
Happy Tet, don’t let your heart become narrow. All joys, sorrows, successes or failures, nothing lasts forever. It’s just that we will find ourselves more mature with each step.
Tet is for the soul and footsteps to slow down, acknowledge the gain and loss, ignore the gain and loss, enter a new stage with a warm soul.
Tet is the end of a past year, a milestone in the new year. Our job is to put our hands on each other, for a happy new year is coming.
Reader: Nhu Y Cat Tuong
