The third day of Tet, teacher

(Baonghean.vn) - On the afternoon of the third day of the Lunar New Year, teacher To Tam was excited because of an appointment from the old days, which was "Teacher, please wait at home, we will come pick you up". A group of friends who were once small children, now more or less successful, rushed into the house of the old teacher who had retired for nearly 10 years on a mild spring day. Then they all eagerly took her away, where many other students were waiting. The youthful look seemed to flash back on the face of the teacher who had devoted her life to the blackboard and white chalk.

Former students come to wish their former teacher, Meritorious Student Le Thai Phong, former teacher at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted a Happy New Year.

According to old customs, "The first day of Tet is for the father, the second day is for the mother, the third day is for the teacher". This phrase encapsulates the three most sacred Tet days reserved for the three most precious and important people in each person's life. On the first day of Tet - the first day of a new year, a new spring - at home, the father lights incense on the family altar, remembering the ancestors of the family. And with that, he wishes for health and peace to grandparents, parents, the people who gave birth to him. The most meaningful thing to do on the first day of Tet is that. The second day takes place at the maternal side. Having a father (on the paternal side) must have a mother (on the maternal side) to have a life, that is the inevitable law of nature. And "The third day of Tet is for the teacher" is reserved for those who have given him wings since he was a baby, so that he can gradually grow stronger and fly high, fly far to find his own meaning in life. The gratitude of the one who gave birth to him, The source of tears is a natural thing, gratitude to the teacher of being human, therefore cannot be forgotten. The beauty of the ancient Vietnamese soul has been determined for thousands of years, and that is also what forges the nation's everlasting strength through the ups and downs of time.

Meeting her old students crowded on the top floor of the tallest hotel in Vinh city, teacher Tam was surprised to see her old juniors who had grown up. "Who are you? What's your name, pretty girl?". Her slightly dim eyes at age 64 made her unable to recognize all of her beloved "naughty" students. However, the students still remembered her very much. "I'm Thanh Lan, sitting at the first table, you often take me home to eat because my house is the farthest away, teacher." "And I'm Mai, once on the occasion of the Charter Day, November 20, my family was poor so I only brought you some homemade rice cakes wrapped in a piece of torn plastic. I hugged you and cried the whole time because I loved you." At this point, the old teacher remembered many things, memories from many years of teaching at Vinh Gifted School flooded back, making her eyes filled with tears. But then she suddenly became happy because her old students had grown up, matured and spread their wings.

Student Tran Thi Thanh (1990-1994 course, Vinh Gifted), now Head of the Appraisal Department of Ship Finance Company, always sticks to her, takes many photos with her to "keep the memories of the Year of the Horse with my second mother". Mr. Nguyen Truong Luu, a classmate of Thanh, emotionally shared "This year's Tet, the whole class planned the program months ago, to meet all the teachers from Vinh Gifted Secondary School. Without the dedicated teachers, how could we be here today". Memories are entwined with reminiscences, filled with the colors of Spring in the middle of Vinh city, filled with wind and clouds. Having been away from the podium for decades, the warm atmosphere of love suddenly filled the teacher's heart.

Students of the 16th Literature Class, Phan Boi Chau High School, meet their old teachers again.

Not only that year's class at Vinh Gifted School, but the third day of Tet has also become a tradition for many generations of students across the country. I still remember the first time my mother took me to "Teacher's Tet", when I was in elementary school. On the afternoon of the third day of Tet, my mother dressed me in new clothes, then personally took me to my teacher's house... As for the gifts my mother brought to pay respect to the teacher, there was nothing luxurious or of much material value. The ceremony to pay respect to the teacher back then was completely innocent and pure.

Now that we have a stable job, every year on the third day of Tet, we gather to wish our old teachers at Phan School a happy new year. The small boatmen take each little student to a bright future. Talking about this custom, retired teacher Doan Manh Tien, lecturer at the Faculty of Literature (Vinh University) said: "The first day of Tet is for the father, the second day is for the mother, the third day is for the teacher" is a saying that contains many meanings, reflecting the psychological life of the ancient Vietnamese people, but needs to be understood from many different perspectives. As a person, we must first be grateful to those who gave birth to and raised us. In the Vietnamese mind, each person has only one father or mother, but there are many teachers. Therefore, the word "teacher" here needs to be understood in a broad sense. In addition to teachers who teach us letters and impart knowledge, there are also teachers who teach us professions, teach us ethics, lifestyles, and ways of behaving, and they are also people we must be grateful to and respect."

The third day of Tet passed in such a warm atmosphere of teacher-student love. Not only teacher To Tam, but all the teachers of the memorable meeting at the beginning of the Year of the Horse and all the old students seemed to be young again, returning to the beloved time of studying, with silent sacrifices and deep gratitude. It has become an unchanging traditional beauty in the minds of us, the students of the past. No matter how developed society is today, there are people who are busy with friends, family, and are interested in fame and wealth that they forget their old teachers, that is also a sad thing, but Tet is still an occasion for each heart to beat in unison with each person to recall an old beauty: the custom of "Tet Thay". That is a joy, a sacred happiness that belongs to no one.

Tran Hai