The departure direction of gratitude

But for nearly 20 years now, on the morning of the first day of the New Year with my family, there is only one direction of departure: going to burn incense to visit graves at the city martyrs cemetery.

The direction of departure has not changed, and the time of departure is also almost unchanged: it is the time of the Rabbit (from 7-9 am).

The first few years when my family chose this direction of departure, which I call the “Departure of Gratitude,” very few people accompanied us. But then, year after year, Tet and Tet, the number of people accompanying in the direction of gratitude is increasing.

On the morning of the first day of the New Year of the Ox this year, when our family went to Nui But martyrs cemetery, we saw quite a few people visiting. There was a whole group, well-dressed, jacket and tie, preparing to worship in front of the Martyrs’ Memorial. A brother in the group saw me and said hello. I asked which group this was, he said it was the delegation of Nghia Lo ward, including the front, the youth union, the leader of the ward… meaning “all members”, visited the cemetery in the early morning of the year.

I feel very relieved when I know that more and more people, from officials to people, know how to choose their departure route on the morning of the first day of Tet. That direction has no fortune, nor happiness, but is the direction of gratitude – a quality among the highest of human beings.

This Cemetery of Nui But Tet martyrs looks very spacious and bright, because all the martyrs’ graves have been whitewashed by the city and cleaned up. Each martyr’s grave has a flowerpot, even if it’s fake flowers, it also makes them solemn and respectful. All those who come to burn incense, even if it is to visit the graves of their relatives, burn incense for the martyrs. There are too many martyrs’ graves, until now, are still “unidentified” graves, this phrase replaces the previously offensive phrase “unknown martyr”. There is no one anonymous in this world, but the “unnamed” martyrs sacrificed not only their lives, but also the names of their birth parents. It is an absolute sacrifice, for the Fatherland. I planted incense on the graves of my brothers and sisters, looking at the words with tears in my heart. Maybe, forever can’t find the right name of brothers and sisters, so the sacrifice becomes even more noble. I suddenly thought of a classmate of mine in high school at Chu Van An School in Hanoi. His name is Thuan. While studying together, Thuan was a talented player of Chu Van An’s football team. We studied together, played together for 3 years in high school, and I remember, Thuan was a very gentle friend. His family was also poor, like most of his classmates that day. After failing to enter the university, Thuan joined the army. We were far apart, only later did I know that Thuan had entered the battlefield in the South, and had died somewhere in this bloody southern strip of land.

Many years ago, I wrote a poem in memory of my classmate, and I think the poem speaks to the hearts of many students whose classmates went to the army, entered the battlefield, and died. . Until now, the family still does not know where Thuan sacrificed specifically, how to know where Thuan’s grave is located.

Here is a poem I wrote in memory of my classmate:

THANH THAO

PROS

Thuan’s balls that day
random beauty
Can dribble the ball past the opponent
Thuan can’t lead his life
bypass fate

“sacrifice in the battlefield of the South”

Thuan’s balls that day
not anonymous

Light an incense stick on the martyr’s grave
I think, who knows, maybe, I will meet where Thuan lies

immense football field
cold absence
and the sound of the loudspeaker announcing calmly
“sacrifice in the battlefield of the South”

round ball
now the fruit of the earth
forever Thuan lies on the hidden side
Thuy Khue street, Botanical garden, school yard…

Now, every time I burn incense on the graves of martyrs, especially those whose names have not been identified, I think, maybe I am burning incense on the grave of my friend. Although it is only a wish, it is also a consolation, especially for those who have been through the war.

Visiting the martyrs’ cemetery on the morning of the first day of Tet, that is the “Departure direction of gratitude” that each of us can choose for ourselves. I believe, martyrs will bless those who live with gratitude for those who sacrificed for the Fatherland.

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