Please remember that everyone smiles in the same language

To The Daily Sun,

A 4th of July parade ought to be a time of reflection. A time to rekindle a sense of patriotism while praising veterans as they should be praised. A time to contemplate on the loss of brave men and women who never came back to share in such a celebration. It can also be a time to focus on family members dear to us, treasured friends we’ve had the good fortune to ‘cross-paths’ with over the years, selective neighbors who care for us, along with trusted co-workers. These are all ‘blessings’ too easily and often taken for granted.

Some of those reflections came two days early for me when, on July 2, Huong Nguyen, a friend I haven’t seen or heard from in years called to ask how I was doing. Her unexpected phone call brought back that genuine sense of togetherness friends share regardless of how near or far they may live. Well aware of Huong’s family roots, her call also served as a reminder that we live in a diverse world which has a lot more good people in it than bad. Her voice made me reflect not so much on our past good times but on the vast information she often shared of her upbringing during a most perilous time. A stark reminder of how differently people grow up around the world.

Over the past few days, the only thing on my mind has been Huong’s precious mom which is what prompted me to write today. Mrs. Thanh Hoang visited Meredith with Huong’s sisters An, Anh,Thuy and Thuy’s son David a few years back. It was the "best of times." Unfortunately, the "best of times" pass too quickly, as it was when the Hoang family returned to their new home in San Jose, California. What their presence left here were fond and non-erasable memories along with a myriad of emotionally moving human interest stories. One shared by Thuy follows: her Mom booked a train bound for Saigon from Hanoi via Hai Duong, North Vietnam. Shortly into her trip, a soldier walked toward a young mother holding an infant child to her chest and asked why she was traveling to Saigon. Having determined an unsatisfactory answer, he quickly tugged and yanked the child from her arms and to everyone’s horror tossed the wailing baby from the moving train. Sitting in the next seat, to this appalling scene, was Thuy’s mom Mrs. Hoang. The soldier now approached her as she too held tightly to her infant baby. Giving a shrewdly different answer is what saved her daughter.

Though it’s not likely anyone around here ever witnessed such a ghastly act, the realism of this happening elsewhere ought to remind us all of the unique constitutional rights we have here in the USA. Rights that have been upheld and defended by the many military personnel we hold in such high esteem.

Mrs. Hoang did not speak any English during her week long stay in Meredith. Yet, her daughters and grandson spoke it beautifully. Over the years I have hosted many friends but Mrs. Hoang’s visit with most of her family ranks as the finest of all. Worthy of mention too is that in a "worldly" way, and with no disrespect to any of her daughters, it was obvious to me how extra ordinarily bright and wise Mrs. Hoang was over us all.

As I see it, the real treasures in life aren’t the things you collect along the way, they’re the friendships that surround you. Yes, there is no greater treasure than a friend. Oh, and remember everyone smiles in the same language.

Roland Jutras

Meredith