When compassion becomes a saving power
More than 20 years after the success of "While closing my eyes and opening the window", writer Nguyen Ngoc Thuan returns to readers with the work "100 legs" - a fable rich in poetry, thoughtfulness and containing many layers of meaning.
The story is set in a forest experiencing a severe drought. Rivers and streams are dry, trees are withered, and all species are facing the risk of extinction. In that situation, Rit appears with 100 legs. To save the families of the hungry, he successively gives away each of his legs. Finally, to save the Go Kien bird family, Rit donates the rest of his body.
The story seems to be for children but raises very big questions about life, death, gratitude and the meaning of sacrifice.
Through the journey of Rít, writer Nguyen Ngoc Thuan sends words of gratitude to those who have donated their bodies to medicine and saved other lives. This is a difficult topic to approach, even more difficult when told to children. However, the author chose a gentle, rich in images and full of symbolism narration to convey that humanistic message.
Not only is it a story about giving, "100 legs" is also a song about family love, about parents' responsibility to their children, about the fragility of life in the face of harsh nature.
Dialogue segments between Rít, Sáo bird, Tram fish or Kiến Xanh contain many simple but profound philosophies. These are reflections on loneliness, on love, on the place to return to and on the value of a life of sharing.
In particular, the book also bears Nguyen Ngoc Thuan's personal imprint when more than 20 pages of color illustrations are made by him himself. This makes the work like a complete gift that the writer gives to readers after many years of nurturing.
Journey to learn to love yourself
If "100 legs" talks about compassion directed towards the outside world, then "I Decided to Live as Me" by Korean author Kim Suhyun is a journey back to the inner world.
The book opens from a very familiar feeling of modern young people, the older they get, the more stressful life becomes, people become distant and the world becomes colder.
Not giving formulas for success or lessons to get rich, Kim Suhyun chooses to talk to readers with close thoughts about self-confidence, relationships, work, hurt and happiness.
The consistent message of the book is that everyone needs to learn to live true to themselves instead of chasing after other people's expectations. Only when you understand who you are and are sincere with your own feelings can you find peace.
With a gentle, narrative style and illustrations made by the author himself, "Dare to live true to yourself" is like a moment of silence amidst a hurried pace of life. The book is especially suitable for people who are feeling tired, lost direction or no longer realize their own value.
The interesting point is that despite the differences in presentation form, both books guide readers to the core values of human beings.
If Rit in "100 legs" teaches us how to open our hearts to love others, Kim Suhyun reminds us that if you want to love the world, you first need to know how to love yourself.
One side is giving to the ends of the body. The other side is the journey of listening to inner voices. But both meet in the belief that compassion is what helps people overcome the crises of modern life.
In the context of an increasingly stressful society, the connection between people seems to become more fragile, books like "100 legs" or "Dare to live true to yourself" can be seen as a gentle but necessary reminder: Living is not just about existence, but also knowing how to love, share and cherish yourself.
