Bich Nhu Le

In the sky there are thousands of stars

In the fields there are thousands of rice plants

In the forest there are thousands of different birds singing

In the garden, there are thousands of leaves and flowers

Like the sun, my Mom is the one and only!

Composed by Truong Quang Luc - Translated by Alexa Uyen Sa Lloyd to dedicate to Grand Ma - Ba Ngoai

Má was the only beloved daughter in the love connection between a Northern man - Ha Nam and a charming and kind-hearted young woman from the South West - Chau Doc. When talking to Má, one could see her beauty, intelligence, elegance, and charisma from both regions. Born and raised during the years of French domination and the Indochinese war, Má had to wander around the country from South to North, from North to South with her parents throughout her childhood. And then she became the bride of Lai Tao village - Ha Dong after those years.

Má was not only so beautiful but charming. She always walked gently in small steps as if afraid she was about to destroy something below. With her tiny body, she carried 14 times and together with Ba raised 13 children as a cherished gift from God. She was an intelligent, brave and full-hearted woman who loved her husband and children unconditionally until the last moment of her life. Remember the time right after the end of the Vietnam War - 1975, Má took care of the children on behalf of Ba. Her day ended at 1-2 am, but by 4 am, she had to get up to prepare for the day. She only slept a few hours a day but never complained to anyone. Má said she still felt healthy and so happy that she was able to take care of the family of 13 when our father wasn't around. Mom was calm and quiet, always hiding unpleasant things in her heart to avoid making others uncomfortable. None could hear any heavy words from her.

The days the family reunited in America, Má always lived for her children. She was always happy to tears when she saw us all together.  Má was a central that bonded us together after Ba and Ngoai were gone.  Má loved gardening, traveling and cooking. Throughout her life, at the age of 87, Má still dedicated wonderful meals for her children and grandchildren. Her cooking was impeccable but gentle, clean and quick. Just like she raised her wand and she would have a delicious tray of meal. Má had things done like that was no big deal at all. A petite woman from the big city but was very skillful in gardening and hoeing. She put her heart into each gourd branch or pumpkin branch like taking care of her children. All the trees in the garden are green, with fragrant flowers, big and sweet fruits magically.

Má's five years of illness were her challenging days. This energetic and do-it-yourself person didn't have the opportunity to do what she loved on her own. So sad but Má was still quiet to live with. Those are precious moments that taught us how to repay the gratitude of giving birth and nurturing to our Ngoai and Ba Má. The final lesson that Má wanted us to learn deeply and forever.

Remember Our GrandMa – Ba Noi/ Ba Ngoai - The Best Grandma in the world.…

From Hoang Vy – The first Granddaughter - Our grandmother was a beautiful, intelligent, kind and amazing woman. In her life, not only did she raise 13 children which is an unbelievable feat on its own but also 10 grandchildren. While also having the ability to take in anyone around her and make them feel like part of the family - including friends, in laws and extended family. Her generosity was unmatched and her smile infectious - the world truly is a little worse for wear without her.

Thank you Ba Noi, for loving and caring for each and every one of us. Thank you for showing us how to be beautiful and poised and look fabulous but also not be afraid to get our hands dirty whether that be in the garden or going crabbing at Myrtle Beach. Thank you for sharing your love of sweet treats and teaching us how to make flan, jello and banh con sau.

Thank you for creating our huge and tight knit family, I think myself and many of my cousins will say we speak with incredible pride when we tell people about how large and close knit our family is. It is amazing to grow up with aunts and uncles who love you like their own children and cousins that love you like their own siblings. Not many people can say that their family is like ours and all of that is a result of one woman’s work, our grandmother. None of us would be here today without you and we will continue to carry on your legacy. I love you so much Ba Noi. We will miss you forever, thank you for being the best grandma in the world.

From Ngoc Han – One of the six Granddaughters - I don’t know a lot of things, sometimes I think I don't know anything at all. But one thing I did know for sure was that my dad was one in 13 siblings. This is a fact that I proudly tell anybody who will listen, the next thing that comes after my unique and interesting fact, are the reactions.

“Wow! 13” and then “how did your grandma manage all of that?” After those reactions, I thought, how did she manage all of that? It’s because my Grandma was a strong, brave and fearless individual. The strength and love of a mother is unmatched by anything in the world, and on top of that, she was guiding her children through a world of chaos and violence during the Vietnam war. I read an article My Aunt Khanh had tucked away, talking about my family’s immigration story to the U.S. It spoke about my grandma foraging for wood and gathering coal and selling them at the market just to keep them afloat. I talked about it with my theatre teacher and I just thought “this woman is extraordinary”.

Growing up, my grandma was always in my life, though our conversations were usually short due to our language barrier and mostly consisted of “would you like something to eat?” Or “have you finished your homework yet” . There was a big cultural difference between us that I didn’t know how to mend or fix. I wish I could’ve talked to her about the boys I wanted to hold hands with on the playground in elementary school, or had a girls trip with her to the mall where we’d shop and laugh. But I never found the words. I would come over, greet her with respect, give her a kiss on the cheek and be on my way to play with my cousins. I always observed her though, I watched her fondness of cooking and her daily strolls in her garden that she took the best care of. I wish I had more of the courage and interest to say “Ba Noi, would you like to do this together?”.

Though our culture difference was a challenge in our relationship, I have a memory that I keep so fondly. Recently, I went to States for a theatre competition. I had brought home the best actor award and had also collected them from regionals and districts. I was so beyond excited to celebrate with my family. As I got to my grandma’s house, my aunts had turned on a filmed performance of my play for her to watch, and to my surprise, my grandma seemed so delighted and interested, though she didn’t understand the words, she watched so intently. I forgot that my aunt had told me to bring my medals for my grandma to see and I left them at home. I didn’t really think it mattered and thought she wouldn’t care that much, but I pulled out my phone and showed my grandma a photo I had taken of them. My grandma took the phone, looked closely, smiled, and kissed my medals on the phone. For the first time in my life, I felt like I made her proud and that I had a mutual understanding with her without words. Like she saw me and I saw her.

Though our cultural differences made it hard for us, I observed her, and she observed me, and that’s how I realized we kept connected. Through observing her, I saw these things; My grandma was a strong, brave, and fearless mother, she liked to cook, she liked to garden, she raised 13 amazing kids who then raised me and my cousins and those 13 taught us to be the very best versions of ourselves we could be and that we could achieve anything, and lastly, she was a leader who bonded our family together. My grandma is Extraordinary.

----------------------Tieng Viet ---------------------------

Trên trời cao có muôn ngàn ánh sao

Trên đồng xa có muôn ngàn cây lúa

Con chim rừng có muôn ngàn tiếng ca

Cây trong vườn có muôn ngàn lá hoa

Riêng mặt trời chỉ có một mà thôi

Và mẹ em chỉ có một trên đời

Riêng mặt trời chỉ có một mà thôi

Và mẹ em chỉ có một trên đời.

Sang tac cua Truong Quang Luc

Má - Là người Mẹ phi thuong, Là người Thầy, Là người bạn tri kỷ và người phụ nữ phúc hậu có một không hai trên đời của chúng con!

Má là cô con gái rượu trong cuộc kết nối tơ duyên giữa chàng trai miền Bắc luu lac vao Nam - Hà Nam và cô gái miền Tây hiền lành, duyên dáng - Châu Đốc. Ở Má, khi nói chuyện người ta có thể thấy được vẻ đẹp thông minh, sự sang trọng và thần thái của cả hai miền. Sinh ra và lớn lên trong những năm Pháp đô hộ và chiến tranh Đông Dương, Má phải lang thang khắp đất nước từ Nam ra Bắc, từ Bắc vào Nam cùng ông bà Ngoại suốt tuổi thơ. Và rồi Má đã trở thành cô con dâu của làng Lai Tảo - Hà Đông sau những năm tháng ấy.

Má khong dep sac sao nhung kha ai. Má khong kieu cach nhung tao nha. Buoc di cua Má nhe nhang khoan thai nhu buoc di cua nhung co Tien. Voc dang be nho nhung Má da mang nặng de dau 14 lan. Má cung Ba nuoi day 13 nguoi con mà cam thay la phuc Troi ban. Má la nguoi phu nu thong minh, nghi luc, va can dam. Yeu thuong chong con vo bo ben cho den hoi tho cuoi cung. Nho nhung ngay sau chien tranh, Má thay Ba buong trai nuoi con.  Thuc khuya den 1- 2 gio dem, nhung 4 gio sang da phai thuc day de chuan bi cho mot ngay moi. Chi duoc ngu vai ba tieng moi ngay nhung Má khong bao gio ca than voi ai. Má noi Má van thay khoe va vui vi co the bao ve gia dinh 13 nguoi binh yen trong khi Ba vang nha. Má it noi, khong khach sao luon giu trong long nhung dieu khong vui de tranh moi nguoi cam thay ay nay, kho xu. Không ai có thể nghe thấy bất kỳ lời nói nặng nề nào từ Má.

Ngay gia dinh doan tu xum vay o My, Má luon song vi cac con. Má luon mung ra nuoc mát khi thay tat ca dum boc voi nhau.  Má la trung tam de gan ket chung con sau khi Ba va Ngoai ra di.  Má yeu thich lam vuon, du lich va nau an. Suot cuoc doi, tren 87 tuoi Má van con cham soc nhung bua an tuyet voi cho con cho chau. Má nấu ăn không chê vào đâu được nhưng nhẹ nhàng và nhanh chóng. Bà chỉ cần giơ chiec đũa thần lên là sẽ có một mâm cơm thơm ngon. Bà làm những việc như thế không có gì la nang nhoc ca. Một người phụ nữ nhỏ nhắn đến từ thành phố lớn nhưng lại rất khéo léo trong việc làm vườn và cuốc đất. Bà dồn tâm huyết vào từng cành bầu, cành bi như chăm sóc con cái cua minh. Tất cả cây cối trong vườn đều xanh tươi, hoa thơm và trái ngọt một cách kỳ diệu.

Hon năm năm Má nam benh la nhung ngay song thu thach cuoi cung cua Má. Mot nguoi nang dong hay lam nay khong co co hoi de tu lam nhung dieu minh yeu thich. Buon lam nhung Má van yen lang. Do la nhung gio phut quy bau de ran day chung con dap den on sinh thanh va duong duc cua Ngoai, Ba Má. Bài học sâu sắc cuối cùng mà Má dung chinh co the cua minh de muốn chúng con học nằm lòng mãi mãi.