Two works: "Even if the world is harsh, I still hope you are gentle" by Da Hi and "In the colorful world, I choose to paint myself" by Cao Lam are two different slices but meet in one common point: Arousing gentleness and inner bravery in women. In particular, these are very suitable books to read and contemplate on March 8th, the day to honor women.
Even if the world is harsh, I still hope you are gentle" includes 13 short stories, each story is a piece of life about injuries, losses and even very human desires. Dạ Hi's writing style is gentle but does not avoid reality. There are characters who were tired, doubted themselves, felt their fate was too miserable and life was too cruel. But what lingers behind each page of the book is not sadness, but a persistent belief in light.
Among the 13 stories, "Fate in Hand" is the story that the author appreciates the most, especially in the ending. Not noisy, not dramatic, but that ending is like a whisper: that fate, happiness or peace sometimes does not lie in absolute control, but in how we hold and let go at the right time.
If Dạ Hi chooses to tell stories to awaken gentleness, then Cao Lâm in "In the Colorful World, I Choose to Draw myself" goes straight into the self-awareness journey of modern women. As a successful businesswoman, Cao Lâm once believed that just enough effort, women can have everything: a brilliant career, a complete family, fame and recognition. But between lengthy meetings and hasty meals, she realizes she is exhausted, losing real emotions and losing herself.
The book is a confession about the journey through glory and fatigue to find oneself again. There, women no longer have to strain themselves to become perfect, no longer try to please everyone. "Choosing to draw myself" is not selfishness, but a courageous act to live true to personal values in a colorful world of expectations.
The deep common point between the two works lies in the feminine voice full of empathy. Both Da Xi and Cao Lam do not encourage blind sacrifice or reckless ambition. They encourage women to retain the purity, dreaminess and warmth in their hearts, and at the same time be sober enough not to lose themselves. One side emphasizes gentleness in harshness, the other side promotes identity in the pressure of perfection, but in general, both guide readers back to themselves.
On March 8th, when wishes often revolve around beauty and success, perhaps the most meaningful gift is a book that helps women understand and love themselves more. Read to know that you are not lonely. Read to learn to be gentle. And read to bravely draw the most truthful version of yourself in the vast world.
