On 29th of the Lunar New Year, I quickly checked my watch to make sure I got to the airport on time. It took around one hour to fly from HCM to Nha Trang. Fortunately, the airport was not overcrowded at the time. An elderly woman over 70 years old carrying luggage struggled to walk through the crowds of people returning to their hometown. A kind young man assisted her in carrying her luggage. A child willingly gave up his seat on the bus to get to the plane for her. All of these small but heartwarming gestures make me eager to return to my family, reunite, and welcome the warm New Year after living away for so long.
I usually come back to my hometown a few days early to assist my parents in preparing the necessary Tet items. Go to the market with my father to buy flower pots for the garden, or with my mother to buy food and home decoration items. The entire family cleans and arranges the furniture in the house in order to have a more prosperous new year.
When I was a kid, I would pack "banh chung" with my grandmother. Washing and drying each leaf while she prepared the filling for wrapping. In the cold of the last days of the year, the nights of staying up and staring at the pot of boiled cakes "banh chung" made me feel eager to welcome Tet.
They all remind me of the wonderful days preceding Tet.
Mom stated that she wanted to wait for me to return to celebrate New Year's Eve because there is only one time of year when the entire family is so full. The stories of chatting and confiding about the past year's joys and sorrows, as well as the hopes for the coming year... how meaningful is the last afternoon of the new year?
On the evening of Tet 30th, my brother's family and I will run to the beach to watch the fireworks. The children are still the most excited to see fireworks explode in bright shapes and colors in the sky. Then, we will return home after 12 o'clock at night to finish the ancestral worship with our father. Following that, the entire family will gather for a short time to talk and drink wine as we welcome the new year and exchange good wishes. Because my family is having a funeral this year, we will limit our visits to relatives and friends for fear of bringing bad luck to everyone in the new year.
Still the same warm Tet, but the meaning of Tet has changed over time from me. From being a child who was excited to celebrate Tet by wearing beautiful clothes, going out with friends, and receiving lucky money to an adult who simply wants to return home and spend more time with family.
Family is always there for you whether you're happy or sad, poor or rich, healthy or sick. Be kind to your family members and accompany them with patience and love. ❤❤❤
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