Images illustrating the differences between life then and now.

(Baonghean.vn) - Time flies by so quickly; in the blink of an eye, several decades have passed. Looking back, we have achieved so much, but also lost so much. Below are some images depicting life then and now.

In the old days, we lived in an old house surrounded by lush green gardens. In the morning, we heard the rooster crowing, at night the croaking of frogs, we looked up at the moon through the window, and looked down at the fragrant grass mattress. The air was cool and fresh, and we didn't need to lock the doors at night, nor did we have to worry about theft.

Nowadays, living in a high-rise building in a glamorous city, one lacks nothing in terms of material comforts. But every door must be tightly locked, and even inside the house, one still feels uneasy. There are burglar-proof doors, cameras, and security nets surrounding the entire building; sometimes, even one cannot get in…

In the old days, neighbors were like brothers and sisters, and even strangers frequently visited each other. They shared delicious food and sweet treats, and when someone needed help, everyone would enthusiastically lend a hand, even if it was just a sprig of onion or a clove of garlic.

Now, we live on the same floor of an apartment building, even two houses next door to each other, with doors facing each other, seeing each other every day, yet we still don't know the names of those "others."

In the old days, country children would line up along the riverbank to catch crabs and fish, and in the evenings they would run to the fields to glean sweet potatoes. At midday, under the scorching sun, they would casually pick a few green guavas and devour them, yet they never experienced a stomach ache throughout their lives.

Nowadays, supermarkets are overflowing with meat and fish, the fruits are ripe and juicy, and every aisle is enthusiastically advertising clean vegetables – yet everyone is still worried about consuming growth hormones! The vegetables are packaged beautifully, and the labels are equally impressive, but who can be sure that this food is safe?

In the old days, children would play and run around in the streets. Occasionally, when a candy vendor came by, they would rush up and chase after him, creating a lively atmosphere!

Nowadays, the streets are wider, and traffic lights flash day and night, but even then, a moment of inattention while walking can be life-threatening, let alone running and playing freely like in the past.

In the old days, the whole village only had one television set. In the evenings, everyone would flock to watch it, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere like a festival. Although it was only a black and white TV, and the picture was sometimes blurry, the whole village would excitedly gather around it. Some sat, some stood, young children sat in their mothers' laps, older children stood on tiptoe peeking through the gaps, and the room was packed with people, yet it didn't feel crowded; the atmosphere was truly lively and vibrant.

Nowadays, LCD televisions are considered outdated, and widescreen TVs don't appeal to anyone anymore. The only thing that keeps people glued to their phones is their cell phones, each one a brand-new, cutting-edge device. Even when people gather together, everyone is staring at their phones, unwilling to speak a word to each other, even if they do look up.

In the old days, photo studios weren't common, and opportunities to have a picture taken were rare. After developing the photos, they had to be carefully laminated and placed in albums for safekeeping. Every time I opened the album, so many memories flooded back, as pure and innocent as my childhood!

These days, unless it's a photo for a certificate or a wedding dress, people don't go to a photo studio. They use phones, iPads, and digital cameras to take pictures wherever they go – delicious food, beautiful scenery – to the fullest. They take thousands of photos a day, but most are forgotten in a corner of their hearts, while only a few truly become cherished memories.

In the old days, children waited all year for Tet (Lunar New Year) to get new clothes. The clothes were simple, the colors modest, but each outfit was cherished and precious; wearing them brought joy and pride.

Nowadays, clothes of all colors and styles, the latest fashions fill my wardrobe, but I still feel like my clothes aren't beautiful, that I'm always out of fashion and outdated.

In the old days, children didn't have many toys, just a few marbles, a leather ball, a rubber band, and a tin can. During times of scarcity, they would pick jackfruit leaves to make toy calves, break off rice stalks to make arrows, and pick green pomelos to make soccer balls… Toys were scarce, but whenever friends gathered, they could play all day long – it was truly joyful and delightful!

Nowadays, children always have friends online on their phones, and everyone in the house has expensive toys. These modern things bring temporary joy, but they also cause children to lose the close bonds of friendship they once had.

In the old days, movie theaters weren't common. Whenever there was an outdoor movie screening in the village, children would gather their friends, either climbing trees and clinging to branches, or sitting on rooftops, or even scaling utility poles – all for free, and it was pure fun!

Nowadays, there are so many movie theaters, showing 3D movies, Korean films, blockbusters... you have plenty of choices. Buying tickets requires queuing, seats must be reserved, you're not allowed to bring alcohol to the theater, you can't talk loudly in the screening room, and the people sitting next to you are all strangers. Everyone watches as they please, and after the movie is over, everyone goes home!

In the old days, when my grandfather married my grandmother, it only cost a bushel of rice; when my father married my mother, it was just a few trays of food for guests. Back then, weddings only required a marriage certificate, a few tables of wine and food, and no dowry was necessary, yet the ceremony was filled with joy. Couples came together through matchmaking, but they lived happily and peacefully, remaining faithful to each other for life.

Nowadays, if you're not pretty, you won't get married; if you don't have money, you won't be loved; if you don't have a house, a car, or privileges, then marriage won't be happy. And even if you have all of these things, marriage is often still not happy!

Peace

(Synthetic)