Second Prize: Stone Flower - My Friend

The more we learn, the more we understand the boundless boundaries of emotions. That realm is not limited to anyone, but not everyone discovers the way to get there! Sometimes we try so hard just to hope for a simple thing - a smile on the lips of the person we love. Happiness at that time is a reward in the gift basket of life. People seek happiness in great things, far away on the horizon. As for me, I seek the happiness that radiates from a simple life. Happiness filled the first day my little footprints were imprinted on the yard of Nhan Van School - where for many years it has shone brightly on generations of students! Happiness when realizing so many desires are competing to sprout! And in an afternoon of contemplation, happiness flooded my immature heart with the warm, painful voice of that Stone Flower tree on the waves of the Voice of Vietnam radio:

In my childhood, the thing I remember most is when I stepped into the school gate. At that time, I was in first grade. On the first day of class, all my friends looked at me. They looked at me with strange eyes and surprise. There were also eyes of coldness. They said the worst things to me. They didn't play with me. They thought I was a fatherless person, a disabled child. At that time, I became self-conscious, I lived a closed life. But my life really changed when I stepped into the gate of Nhan Van University, a school that gave me a lot of confidence and determination in life. From a shy, timid boy who was always self-conscious, I have now become a proud and proud student of literature. When I stepped into the school, I was helped a lot by my teachers and friends.

The Stone Flower Tree - my friend! The beloved stone flower tree, the strong will of K58 Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi. That Stone Flower is the name I gave to Vien, my friend in the same department! Life has not favored this friend of mine with beautiful, peaceful things like many others. But time has proven a soul that never gives up to weave happiness for himself and for those around him.

From the moment he was born, Vien was not as lucky as his peers. He was born with a disability on the left side of his body. The first time I talked to Vien was in Mr. Vi's Folk Literature class. On an early autumn day, I sat down and wrote down the teacher's words in the gentle scent of milk flowers - the soul of Hanoi, floating in the lecture hall. A very poetic, very dreamy atmosphere, flowing in my soul. The poetry, the dream of the earth and sky or the dream in the heart of a female student on the first day of school, getting to know a new friend? Time passes but cannot carry with it the deep feelings, the attachment like a love carved out of a thousand years, especially a kind of human love. Vien and I became closer and closer. Vien's confidence, efforts to fight against the cruelties of fate and her academic achievements were like a wind blowing away in my memory "my friend is disabled". I did not have the slightest thought in my head. When did I forget it? Was it when in the red, mottled afternoon shade on the schoolyard, that Stone Flower tree walked close to my shoulder, telling me things I didn't understand in class or touching, warm stories of human love in the club with the same name as you? Probably!

For me, the past, present and perhaps the future, the times with Vien are the times when I feel I have to do and do more, trying my best with what I can. I love the afternoons studying with Vien. Because those are the moments I want to hold on to admire another sweet ripe fruit of life. Because at that time, Hoa Da "blooms" beautiful flowers on a life that is too harsh for a young man in his prime, full of life!

People say girls often have strange wishes. I neither admit nor completely disagree! In winter, sitting alone studying, the light and heat from the heating pad are not enough to keep me from feeling cold against the gusts of wind blowing through the window, I suddenly wish Hoa Da was right next to me. I suddenly wanted to hold Vien's hand, wanted to receive a little warmth from him. Suddenly, I wanted to run out to the dormitory yard dotted with tiny white su flowers, look up at the window sparkling with dreams - where Vien was diligently studying the textbook to ask a question: "Are you cold?" I love the freezing cold winter days, my Hoa Da is tormented by terrible leg pain. But more than my love, Vien still tries to endure to complete the plans of a proud and determined Literature student!

If life only cares about itself, is selfish and petty, then humans are like the dead sea, forever lonely and unable to blend in for life to flourish! Knowing how to blend in with the vibrant rhythm of life around them, each person finds comfort in their wounds. Personal happiness is found in the sublime happiness of the community. Because of this belief, in addition to his determination to study well, Vien also participates in the Club for the disabled studying at school. Many times I wonder: “Sao Vien nodTake time to rest, why go to the club so much??” He gave me a hopeful smile:“I want to understand and share with people in the club and friends who are in difficult circumstances like me. Caring and sharing with people in the club and people in difficult circumstances in many other places can only be shown through very simple gestures and actions, but it helps me discover the meaningful things in life to appreciate and love more.”

I might not have been able to absorb and collect so many of those simple yet priceless life lessons if I had not been lucky enough to have that strong-willed and loving Stone Flower as a friend!

The memories between us so far are not many. But what Hoa Da has brought to me in the two years since entering school are enough to create a lot of warmth and sweetness. I learned from Hoa Da many lessons about being human, lessons that I can find in a good poem, a beautiful piece of writing. However, perhaps, the lessons in books are not attractive and powerful enough to touch the soul with examples of good people and good deeds in real life! On March 8th this year, because I was careless or I was busy chasing after things that I forgot to send my beloved mother sweet wishes. I calmly browsed Facebook and then stopped before a touching status:“Mom, on March 8th, I wish you good health and happiness to be with me forever. I thank you for raising me until today. And I want to say that I love you very much. I will try and make every effort to stand on my own two feet because I am your son.”. Vien made me cry and miss my mother so much. Maternal love is sacred, normally we don't realize it but just need to be gently reminded, that love will burn fiercely. I silently thank Hoa Da for that status. Thank it for reminding me to do such a loving thing!

As always, people always remember people and events that have passed in the form of a certain memory! And that memory is the thread that connects the past and the present to create the sweetness of life - love! Love for family. And more than that, love for the school that I have been attached to day and night with countless memories. "Humanity in me" does not only exist in the material form with rows of buildings invested in equipment. That school was built by the beauty radiating from the halo of knowledge, from the kindness of teachers and pure friendship, and also from people who rose up strongly from pain and illness! On the busy, jostling road of life, I am afraid that I am selfish and forget the many years of memories under this school. And perhaps at those times, Hoa Da with her eyes shining with faith and extraordinary determination will become the support for me to go back to a time not too far away, to calmly arrange my heart into a vibrating song with the lyrics: "Live like Stone Flowers…”

I send words into the wind, distilling love like a passionate, fragrant love!

Fragrance of friendship…

Scent of happiness…

Get to know Hoa Da…

Under the school with such a beautiful name…

Humanities…!