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A memorable trip with my mother
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By Phi Ho
Saturday, May 10 2008
A memorable trip I took with
my mother was in 1975. It was a day with clouds hanging over the city like a
wet blanket ready to drip. We packed our things and left our home for our
cousin’s place by the river. I remember we said goodbye to our father, and for
the first time I saw my mother and father kiss ever so briefly.
By the time we got there, the
place was filled with our relatives. My mother was greeted by our cousin, and
we all settled down in the living room. We sat there in silence. I looked at my
mother and could see the sadness in her eyes.
When evening arrived, we all
knew it was time for us to leave. We descended onto a navy ship which had been
waiting for us by the
Mekong
River. I knew we were
about to take a different turn in the journey of our lives. I held on to my
mother’s hand and could feel her heartbeat. A fallen tear gently touched my
face.
As the ship departed, my
mother and I looked back at the city and watched it on fire. I could hear the
cry of my people and feel the hurt of a nation … well into the night. We left
Saigon on April 29, 1975 and headed toward the land of freedom, the
USA.
Now as I remember my beloved
mother, who passed away more than 10 years ago, I feel a great appreciation and
a deep love for her. Even though I can no longer hold my mother in my arms, I
know that I can always hold her so tenderly in my heart.
Phi-Ho Le
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