I was deeply moved when I read the story of the "children in blue" who brought "Meals of Love" to the needy people of Lien Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district. Just recently, we saw on social media the story of a young woman teaching people how to live without working by using deceptive tactics to extort money from others. This is a highly offensive lifestyle, if not a terrible and misguided way of thinking for young people.
The "Meals of Love" initiative by the youth union members of Lien Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, Nghe An province, has been running for five years. That's enough time to show that this isn't a fleeting initiative or a mere slogan, but a persistent journey stemming from the heartfelt volunteerism of these young people. It's a beautiful way of life amidst the chaos and frenzy of many young people resorting to desperate tactics for fame. Five years of tireless dedication to providing warm, compassionate meals to those in need in this impoverished rural area. Truly, this wasn't easy for me. Beyond the struggle for survival, there's the process of fundraising, cooking, and distribution. Sometimes, we only see the results but fail to fully understand the journey of these young union members in this rural region. It's a vibrant, youthful sense of compassion that must be nurtured across generations, from community awareness to the personal stories of each young person here.
For many young people across the country, Saturday mornings are a day of rest after a week of work, or a time for travel and outings, or perhaps a reunion with family after a long separation. However, for the young people of Lien Thanh commune, they choose to go out and bring love by providing warm meals to the elderly, the lonely, and those in difficult circumstances throughout their commune. At their meeting point, they divide the tasks among themselves, from shopping for groceries to cooking, portioning, and distributing the meals. For five years, they have dedicated themselves to the community, sacrificing some of their personal weekend pleasures.
Generations of adults have returned to the "Meal of Love," families with two generations have joined hands for the "Meal of Love," and many older people have voluntarily come to the "Meal of Love." Many residents of Lien Thanh have shared eggs, rice, meat, and vegetables for the "Meal of Love." This is a shared spirit that I believe even the young members of the Lien Thanh Youth Union never imagined from the very beginning. The success of the "Meal of Love" not only rekindles human kindness but also connects countless generations, shortens distances, and creates a community of decent living. Shouldn't people live for each other? That is the most beautiful and noble form of humanity in this society.
I believe that the story of the "Meal of Love" shared by young people wearing the green uniforms of the Youth Union needs to be replicated and spread further so that love can flow abundantly in the hearts of young people. So that young people themselves can see that living authentically, living beautifully, and living through honest labor is what makes a life worth living. If our society maintains the green color of humanity, I am sure it will be a compassionate and harmonious society. If society is filled only with naive young people teaching each other tricks and schemes to live a fake life, the consequence will be a selfish and faithless society.
Although they are all young people, if we compare the story of the Liên Thành Youth Union members with that of the young woman who publicly instructed others to live a dissolute, lazy, and scheming life, I think we will automatically know which youth truly dedicate themselves to society. And perhaps, we need to eliminate the problem of young people teaching each other bad ways on social media so that the beautiful lifestyle of those who embody the spirit of righteousness can spread widely and universally. I believe that if we paint the entire S-shaped land of Vietnam with the color of righteousness, one day we will breathe the freshest and most peaceful air.
Article by: Tong Phuoc Bao
Illustration photo: Hoai Thu
