Dad, you are my pride!

That day, the family meal was warmer than usual. The whole family gathered together, the children chattered around the table. The meal that day was not too elaborate, just the familiar dishes that my mother often cooked, but it seemed that everyone found it more delicious, because everyone's heart was filled with joy and pride. We raised our cups of tea to congratulate our father. The children were constantly curious, asking one question after another.

My 5-year-old daughter looked at him with wide eyes and asked innocently: "Grandpa, is it because you study well that you got a certificate of merit?"

After hearing that, my whole family burst into laughter at that innocent question. My father stroked the little girl’s soft hair, smiled gently without rushing to answer. At that time, the older grandson, who was in ninth grade this year, asked another question with maturity: “Grandpa, when you were in the army, when you participated in the resistance war, were you afraid?”

The question made the room suddenly silent for a few seconds. My father put down his teacup, his eyes seemed to be looking somewhere far away. He began to tell, his voice slow and deep: “Yes, everyone is afraid. Afraid of falling bombs and exploding bullets, afraid of marching in the deep forest at night, not knowing if they will be alive tomorrow. However, that fear must never be greater than the love for the Fatherland and the responsibility to his comrades. Every time he thought of his homeland, his family, the red flag with a yellow star flying in the sky, he felt his heart steadfast. So the fear receded, giving way to determination. It was during those days that he learned what it meant to be a comrade, a teammate, and what it meant to put the interests of the country above his own.”

Dad stopped, his eyes reddening. I knew he had just recalled so many memories of the war. The whole family listened in silence. The children couldn’t understand it all, but the image of him in his uniform, holding a gun in the middle of the battlefield, would be imprinted in their minds.

After a while of telling the story, my father smiled gently and turned to his children: “This badge is not like a certificate of merit at school. It is a symbol of faith, of responsibility, of a lifetime of devotion to an ideal. I received it today thanks to the sacrifices of my comrades and teammates, not just because of me.”

Listening to my father, I felt my nose sting. I suddenly remembered the many times my father told stories about his friends who had fallen on the battlefield, about the nights of marching through the forest, about the hasty meals with dried cassava. Perhaps, those memories were lifelong imprints that my father always cherished, as well as never forgetting to thank his fallen comrades.

Then my father mentioned September 2nd with a proud voice: "National Day September 2nd is not only the birth day of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, but also the day for us to remember the generations of fathers and brothers who sacrificed so that today's children can live in peace and independence."

The whole family nodded. During that meal, everyone seemed to slow down, as if absorbing every word my father said. I looked around and saw that my house was now spacious and comfortable, my life was full, and all my children were well educated. All of these simple things were possible thanks to the great sacrifices of the previous generations - including my father.

I thought to myself, being the son of a soldier, a 50-year Party member, is both a source of pride and a great responsibility. We no longer have to carry guns to battle, but we still have to live a worthy life, knowing how to appreciate and preserve what our ancestors exchanged with their flesh and blood.

This year's National Day, for me, will always be a special memory. Because in the joy of the country, I also have my own family happiness, seeing my father honored, seeing my children and grandchildren chattering around him, seeing old stories being told once again to make us more proud and grateful.

Ha Linh

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/202509/bo-la-niem-tu-hao-cua-con-a49174a/