April 30th has never been just a holiday, it’s the emblem of the Vietnamese’s glorious victory against a formerly invincible army. However, it isn’t just the historical triumph that makes it memorable— it’s also the bloody price that accomplishment required. Therefore, I fully agree that this is a sacred event to contemplate the arduous but magnificent journey towards the legendary reunification.
Firstly, April 30th greatly evokes great depths of thoughts and emotions due to the weight that it carries. It wasn’t just the termination of fire and sword, it was also the rebirth of a heroic nation. For the South, it was the defeat of a corrupt regime. For the North, it was the moments its comrades died and bleed for. For the entire nation, it was the turbulent glory that reconnected the compatriot. Therefore, this milestone should never be forgotten, but be retrospected.
Furthermore, the occasion leaves room for reflections and lessons. How did our ancestors create miracles in the darkest time of history? How much did it exactly take for the contemporary peace? What have we done to deserve it? What have to be done to persevere it? Such questions rarely emerge when we are busy struggling with our lives. Making 30/4 a national holiday elevates the occasion to be more memorable than other busy days, when people have to struggle with the spiral of life— this is based a phenomenon that scientists proved: we remember vividly what affect our lives fundamentally, like a day free of work.
The war has long gone, but both the pride and grief remain palpable. As the descendants of the S-shaped land, we should carve both joys and sorrow that create our historic chapters, as well as our present and future. Because that creates the springboard for us to inherit our forefather’s sacred legacy and elevate it to the next stage.