Twenty years old in the middle of Truong Sa sea and sky: Being able to hug my parents right on the island

The moment mother Nguyen Thi Lanh met her son Huynh The Son again on Sinh Ton island - Photo: HA THANH

In his mother's tight embrace, Sergeant Huynh The Son (19 years old) could not hide his smile: "Having my mother come to visit me is an indescribable feeling. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment." The moment mother and son met was both joyful and sad.

Meeting my father in Truong Sa was the most beautiful gift of my youth when I was on the front line, contributing to keeping the peace for the Fatherland. Truong Sa will be a special experience for the young generation to train both physically and mentally, enriching their luggage for the future.

Sergeant THAI GIA BAO

You try, mom try too!

Since the day she heard that her son was on duty at Sinh Ton Island, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lanh (in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City) counted the days until she could see Bo (Huynh The Son's nickname) again. She was always worried about her youngest son, who was loved by the whole family. "As a mother, there is never a time when I stop worrying about my son. I worry, but I always encourage him and tell him to try hard, to complete his mission of protecting the islands of the Fatherland and then come back" - Mrs. Lanh confided.

The moment she met her son right on Sinh Ton Island, the mother's eyes were red. Then she smiled brightly when she saw her youngest son's mature and steady appearance after several months of meeting again. Hearing the commanders and friends praise Bo for being very good, agile, and resourceful, "just like a foster brother", the mother's heart blossomed.

She kept rubbing his strong back, then holding his strong hands tightly. Mrs. Lanh said that when he was at home, Bo was pampered by the whole family so he rarely did any housework. His mother took care of all the daily meals. But when he went to the island, the youngest son of the family was strong in his role as "foster brother", especially gaining more than ten kilos compared to when he was at home.

"To visit you on such a remote island, I have to try very hard, pass all the medical examinations, and be healthy enough to make the journey to you. So my Bo, be strong and remember to stay healthy" - Mrs. Lanh emotionally told her son.

Seeing his mother looking worried, Sergeant Huynh The Son quickly encouraged her: "Don't worry, Mom, Bo is used to the sun and wind, there's nothing to be afraid of!" The son sat down and told his mother about his first days on the island, the training process that helps new soldiers train their strength and determination to stand firm in the face of storms and harsh conditions.

Taking on the logistics task, the young man in his twenties honestly said that he had no knowledge of cooking at home, so he struggled at first. However, after just over a month, he got used to the job, confidently took on the task of taking care of the soldiers' lives and always completed the assigned tasks well.

Teddy bears carry the warmth of father

Meeting in the middle of Truong Sa sea and sky, the father gave his son a teddy bear he brought from the mainland - Photo: HA THANH

Before arriving at Toc Tan C Island, Mr. Thai Van Vu (in Ho Chi Minh City) was restless. Every now and then, he would check the gift bag he brought for his son who was working in Truong Sa archipelago. The gift bag not only contained his son’s favorite items but also contained his father’s love.

Mr. Vu said he personally went to choose the items for his son - Sergeant Thai Gia Bao (20 years old) - who has been fascinated by them since he was at home. "I also brought some bottles of soft drinks, 100 duck eggs and... a teddy bear from Cu Chi district for my son" - Mr. Vu boasted.

When arriving at the island, Mr. Vu was given priority to get on the first working boat to the island so that he could take advantage of the time to meet and talk with his son. The moment he stepped onto the island, he could not hide his surprise when he saw his son, who was still skinny and frail the other day, but after only a few months of seeing him again, had grown rapidly, stronger than before in the sun and wind of Truong Sa.

"Do you think we raised Bao well?" - the soldiers of Toc Tan C island jokingly joked. Hearing that, the father smiled and nodded repeatedly: "That's right, when he was at home, he was skinny, only about 50kg, but now he's big and looks so strong." When asked, we found out that when he was at home, Bao weighed only 48kg. But after only a few months in Truong Sa, he gained nearly 20kg. His tall, strong body, strong appearance and tanned skin made the father proud.

Since taking on the new assignment, Bao has been trying his best to study, from daily activities to discipline on the island and especially promoting the spirit of solidarity with his teammates. Bao shared with his father the secret of eating a lot, exercising a lot, and exercising whenever he has free time.

In a remote place, despite many difficulties, Thai Gia Bao is determined to overcome all obstacles to complete his mission to the best of his ability, which is also the sacred duty of a Vietnamese citizen. "Going to the island, getting acquainted with the ocean, perhaps the harsher conditions compared to the mainland have helped me train the qualities of a soldier of Uncle Ho's army" - Sergeant Gia Bao said.

Mom's hug and dad's promise

Before leaving the island, Mrs. Lanh gave Son and the young soldiers around her son’s age a tight hug. After many months of separation, the mother’s warm embrace from the mainland seemed to give Son and his comrades more motivation and confidence to stay on the island and protect the sacred sea of ​​the Fatherland.

"Try to listen to your children, try to get along well, help each other, try to protect the islands, complete your mission and then come back to your parents. Try hard, I'll come back!" - the mother advised carefully before leaving the island to return to the ship.

In the moment of tearful farewell at the pier, Bao put on his father’s life jacket and carefully checked that the strap was secure before he got into the boat to leave the island and return to the ship. The father smiled lovingly and was somewhat relieved to see that his son had become a mature young man, knowing how to love and care for those around him.

He told his son to rest assured and do his duty well and remember to listen to his uncles and brothers. With determined eyes, the young soldier promised his father that he would complete all assigned tasks well. "I hope you and everyone on the mainland will always stay in good health" - Sergeant Thai Gia Bao said to the boat that was gradually leaving the island.

(to be continued)

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tuoi-doi-muoi-giua-bien-troi-truong-sa-duoc-om-ba-me-ngay-tai-dao-20240622095726611.htm