Happiness is bringing joy to others

PV: You always consider yourself a happy person. So what do you think happiness is? Is happiness a destination or a process of reaching the destination? Are the values ​​of happiness constant or do they change over time and psychology?

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Ha:I consider myself a happy person because I have always tried and been able to do what I love. There are many concepts of happiness and each person, each moment in a person's life, perceives and defines happiness differently. Happiness is both a destination and a process of reaching it. Sometimes, the destination is not the happiness in a dream but it is already present on the journey. Therefore, I always try and make an effort to find happiness and also enjoy the happiness I have.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Ha (born in 1976) in Khanh Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district. Photo: Thanh Cuong

It must be said that the value of happiness is not constant but changes over time. It is expressed in my own life. When I was a student, the value of happiness that I considered to be recognized by everyone as "good-natured, good at studying" and having a little personal money to spend.

I am the youngest child in a family with many siblings. My family has a traditional profession of sewing. So, I knew how to sew since elementary school. When I was in 7th grade, my father called me and said: “You are grown up now. I think you also need to spend money. Your parents can give you money, but they want you to earn money from your own labor. Now, in the morning you go to school. In the afternoon you go to work. Your parents rent you a corridor in the market. In the afternoon you go there to do sewing work to earn extra money.”

From earning my first coins, I realized the first values ​​of happiness. Gradually, as I grew up, I realized that the value of happiness is not simply money but labor - working, trying to improve the value of material life... And then when I got older, my economic life reached a certain level, I felt the need for a cultural life was more necessary. Then, I spent time traveling, exploring here and there, broadening my horizons. My happiness transformed into the desire to explore new lands, improving my knowledge.

Photo: Hoang Ha

During my travels, I met many people in difficult circumstances and I came up with the idea of ​​sharing and helping them. I myself have more or less shared from my own resources, calling on everyone to join in helping people in difficult circumstances. Based on that thought, I "searched" for difficult circumstances to help, posted information on social networks, connected with charitable organizations such as "philanthropic journey"... thereby, more or less helping them overcome adversity. Through my work, billions of dong from benefactors have been transferred to people in difficult circumstances.

In addition, I volunteered to join the free ambulance driving team to pick up and drop off poor patients in the South and the North. Now, my happiness is to help people...

PV: Among the many happiness values ​​that have been mentioned, which happiness value do you think is the common, core value that each person and society needs to strive for and focus on?

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Ha:In my opinion, among the values ​​of happiness, family happiness is the core. Family is the cell of society, if there are many happy families, that society, that nation, that country will be happy. To achieve family happiness, the most important thing is warmth and harmony. Each member of the family must respect each other. Respect means listening to the opinions and wishes of the people in your family. Respecting others will limit your ego; you will be conscious of making yourself and others better. With that awareness, conflicts in the family will be reduced.

"Family is the cell of society. If there are many happy families, that society, that nation, that country will be happy." Photo: Thanh Cuong

For a family to be truly happy, first of all, the husband and wife must respect each other; try to regularly exchange and communicate with each other and refresh themselves. My wife and I always practice this, that is why every day is a happy day; for my wife, every day is March 8th, October 20th.

In addition to the relationship between husband and wife, it is important to pay attention to the traditional values ​​and the relationship between parents and children. My husband and I have an 8-year-old daughter. Since she was a child, my husband and I have paid great attention to educating our child, especially life skills. Whenever we go somewhere far away, I always try to take my child along so that she can explore and learn with me. I remember when my child was about 4 years old, I took her to climb Tu Va Mountain (Yen Thanh) to play, climbing 1,500 steps. I believe that when she is tired, she can rest, when she is hungry, she can eat, she can take 10 steps and then rest. After 2 hours, she completed the challenge and reached the top.

When we got there, I asked him: “The road up is very beautiful but many people litter everywhere, do you think that is good? What should we do?”, he said: “Not good, let’s pick up the trash to clean it up”. Then, on the way down, both father and son picked up trash together. Walking and working, he was so happy that he forgot his tiredness.

Since childhood, Nguyen Hoang Ha has always taught his daughter to help people in need. Photo: Hoang Ha

Three years ago, my son and I organized a cycling trip from Yen Thanh to Bai Lu, following the coastal road. Before the trip, I discussed it with my son and he was excited and agreed to go. However, when we got to Dien Chau, he seemed bored, tired, and upset. Instead of persuading him to continue, I just asked: "If you don't want to go anymore, I'll take a bus to take you back to Mom. As for me, I'll continue going. What do you think? If you go with me, you have to be happy and not complain." After thinking for a while, he agreed to go. I wanted to tell him: Don't ruin other people's business for your own pleasure... This story is still told by my father and son over and over again.

PV: In 2016, Vietnam was ranked 5th in the top 10 countries in the Happy Planet Index by the British economic and social research organization New Economics Foundation and became the happiest country in Asia. As someone who has traveled to many villages, provinces, cities, and countries and experienced the reality of life there, what do you think of the above comment?

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Ha: As a Vietnamese citizen, I think the above ranking is very accurate, based on all criteria of longevity, prosperity, environmental ecology, and equality. The happiness of Vietnamese people is increasing day by day. For example, over the past year, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused the whole world to fall into a serious crisis. However, in Vietnam, the Party, the Government, all levels, sectors, and localities have done a very good job in preventing and fighting the epidemic, protecting people's health. The spirit of "Leaving no one behind" is thoroughly understood and spread. Those who are most in difficulty during the epidemic are supported and helped. In preventing and fighting Covid-19, the Government has purchased vaccines to vaccinate people for free. These eloquent evidences speak volumes.

Photo: Thanh Cuong

Personally, I see that Vietnamese society is changing in a more positive and happier direction thanks to the national brand and economic and social results. People's lives are increasingly improving. There is no war or terrorism, security and order are maintained. I travel everywhere, stopping and resting but there has never been a security problem...

As for life, for example in Khanh Thanh commune, in 2013, I bought a car worth 600 million VND. The whole commune was amazed and admired. 3 years later, my car is no longer a big deal. Many people have bought nicer, more valuable cars. People in the commune used to think that "a car is a large asset", but now they have changed their concept to "a car is a means of transportation". This change in concept has shown that social life is increasingly improving.

PV: Through the discussion, we see that you are satisfied and happy with your life. However, around you, there are many people who are not satisfied or happy... Do you have any advice so that they can also hold the key to happiness like you?

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Ha:Satisfaction is limitless. Some people who own billions of dong are not satisfied, but some people who only need 1 million dong are satisfied... To be happy, we need to know enough, need to know when to stop. Reaching a happy life is a legitimate aspiration, turning dreams into reality requires people to constantly move and work. We do not waste our strength and talent, but do not try too hard. If we can only carry 30 kg, we should only carry that much or a little more; if we carry 40-50 kg, there will definitely be problems, and things will go wrong. Everyone needs to be self-aware.

Whenever he has the chance, Nguyen Hoang Ha takes his family to explore new lands. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In the process of moving towards happiness, we need to pay attention not to waste two things, which are spending too much time eating and drinking and sleeping too much. We have to live positively. Next, we need to keep in mind "if not now, then when", when there is something to do, we must do it right away, do not wait or postpone it to another time...

Happiness is the satisfaction of our desires, but we should not, because of our satisfaction, bother others. Our happiness cannot bring trouble, build on the suffering and loss of others. Happiness cannot be selfish, but must bring joy and good values ​​to the community for it to be complete.

To build a happy family, we need to learn from each collision. If we want everyone in the family to treat us well, we must treat everyone well. The same goes for educating our children and grandchildren. If we want our children to greet us politely, we must greet them first...

PV: Thank you!

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Ha (born in 1976), in Khanh Thanh commune (Yen Thanh), in a family of 5 brothers and sisters. He is known by many people as a tireless volunteer, organizing gift giving and supporting hundreds of households with a sum of nearly billions of VND. This is the amount of money that Mr. Ha himself has called for and connected with benefactors in the province and in the country in recent times. His charity programs always target the poor, the lonely, and those in difficult circumstances in Yen Thanh district and remote areas in mountainous districts of the province. In addition, Mr. Ha also voluntarily participates in the free ambulance driving team to pick up and drop off poor patients in the South and the North.