The beautiful tradition of "respecting and honoring the elderly" in Anh Son.

(Baonghean)A distinctive feature of Anh Son district in the midland region is that, along with the celebration of the Elderly Association (October 1st), the children and grandchildren of families also organize ceremonies to wish their grandparents and parents long life. This is a beautiful tradition of "respecting and honoring the elderly" among the people of Anh Son...

In Dinh Son commune, we met Mr. Ha Hong Giao in Hamlet 8 – a "veteran" of the commune, who is celebrating his 100th birthday this year. His wife, Mrs. Ha Thi Nghi, is 95 years old. Despite their advanced age, both remain sharp-minded and capable of managing their daily lives, such as cooking, cleaning, and tending to their garden. Mr. Ha Hong Thuy, Mr. Giao's youngest son, happily shared: "Nothing is more joyful than seeing our parents healthy and strong in their old age. It's a happiness not every family has, so in recent years, besides the Lunar New Year, on International Day of Older Persons, all 10 sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, and 16 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, no matter how busy they are, gather to celebrate their parents' birthdays. This is also an opportunity for us to remind the younger generations to constantly strive and live responsibly so that our parents can always live happily, healthily, and productively."

Meanwhile, in Linh Son commune, the home of Mr. Tran Le Thanh (90 years old) and Mrs. Le Thi Van (86 years old) was also filled with joy, as their children and grandchildren gathered around them. Their daughter-in-law, Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, said: “Parents are always a source of spiritual support, not only for their sons and daughters but also for us daughters-in-law and sons-in-law. Celebrating their birthdays each year is a great joy for us children. Therefore, organizing birthday celebrations on International Day of Older Persons in Anh Son is a beautiful cultural tradition worth cherishing. It's also a way to educate and teach our children and grandchildren about their responsibilities and respect for elders.”

Badminton exchange between the Senior Citizens' Association of Anh Son Town and Linh Son Commune. Photo: Nguyen Son

Mr. Dang Ich Moi – Chairman of the Elderly Association of Linh Son commune, said: “Linh Son is the commune with the highest number of elderly people in the district, with 1,150 elderly people participating in 14 branches. In recent years, the Elderly Association of the commune has focused on branch activities to gather members: establishing clubs for physical exercise and maintaining the Yen Linh Poetry Club, aiming to create a spiritual playground for the elderly. International Day of Older Persons is truly a festival for the elderly in Linh Son commune. All villages organize celebrations for the elderly. It's simply a pot of strong tea, a few plates of candy and cakes, and poetry recitations and songs… composed and performed by the elderly themselves.”

In particular, all families in the commune organize gatherings with their children and grandchildren to celebrate the longevity of their grandparents and parents. Depending on the circumstances of each family, the longevity celebration is organized on different scales, but the common feature is that children and grandchildren from near and far try to arrange their work to come together with their grandparents and parents. The warm and joyful atmosphere makes the elderly very happy, knowing that even in their twilight years, they will always be a source of joy and happiness for their children. This is an opportunity for the Association to honor the elderly and encourage them to live happily, healthily, and usefully. Over the years, many elderly people in the commune have made positive contributions to the cultural and artistic movement of the commune, such as Ms. Nguyen Thi Duong (Branch 5), Mr. Nguyen Van Huong (Branch 13), or to the new rural development movement, such as Mr. Phan Van Kim (Branch 9), Ms. Van Thi Lien (Branch 13)...

Anh Son District currently has nearly 12,600 members participating in activities across 21 branches and 252 sub-branches. Since 1993, the Association has launched a movement encouraging children and grandchildren to celebrate the birthdays of their grandparents on International Day of Older Persons, receiving positive responses from many families. As living standards improved, this movement truly became a beautiful tradition in each family. Thanks to the encouragement of their children and grandchildren, the elderly in Anh Son District have actively and enthusiastically participated in the "Elderly Setting a Good Example" movement. To date, over 30% of the district's members are involved in production and business, including 55 farm owners; 4 business owners; and 323 successful entrepreneurs. To improve the health and help the elderly live happily, healthily, and productively, the Association has effectively established and promoted 183 clubs for physical exercise, badminton, chess, Chinese chess, poetry, and arts. In 2012, 90% of the branches achieved the title "Exemplary Elderly People"; 85% of elderly families achieved the status of "Culturally Advanced Family". As a result, the life expectancy of the elderly is also increasing. In the district, there are 45 people over 100 years old, 22 people exactly 100 years old, and 2,142 people between 80 and 99 years old.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Chuc, former Chairman of the Provincial Association of Elderly People, said: “Organizing birthday celebrations not only demonstrates the principle of 'drinking water, remembering the source,' celebrating the blessings of the family, and showing filial piety to grandparents and parents, but also multiplies the beautiful cultural tradition of 'respecting the elderly' in the community. Birthday celebrations are meant to encourage and motivate the elderly so they can continue to be healthy, live long, and be reunited with their children; children and grandchildren celebrating their grandparents and parents' birthdays also feel joy and pride. Therefore, organizing birthday celebrations on International Day of Older Persons (October 1st) in Anh Son is a good practice that should be replicated throughout the province.”

Text and photos: Minh Quân