An Eternal Purple

Yesterday afternoon, in the school yard, near the old parking lot, a slight rain gently dripped down! Then a sudden thought was flashed back that another Tet season in the Buddhist calendar was coming back.

In the past, Bằng Lăng - known in English as Giant Crape-myrtle flowers, were in full bloom in March (Lunar calendar) or April (Solar calendar), when the first rains of the season started from the Indian Ocean, crossed the Gulf of Thailand and came to the South along with Southwest monsoons. This season is also the Tet season of Buddhist countries such as Laos, Cambodia and Thailand where traditional New Year like Songkran is traditionally celebrated to pay homage to Buddha.

However, giant crape-myrtle flowers are in bloom in Tan Phong Campus in the last month of the lunar calendar! Among the reasons such as the change in the weather because of climate change making rain scatter from November to January or “Do Bằng Lăng trees blossom late in our place?”; or the rain of 2019 comes earlier and makes Bằng Lăng blossom? Whatever the reason is! The only certain thing is that the Sports Complex and the Road No. 4 are brighter with bunches of Giant Crape-myrtle flowers; whether they blossom early or late!

Personally, I am very happy: why does it have to be the right season to blossom? Flowers are the essence of plants; plants are the aroma of the heaven and earth. There is no time, no space without the aroma of the earth and the heaven. The essence of plants must be there in all seasons. The seasonal features also bear themselves good things; but it would be perfect if every season is subtle with the presence of the aroma of the heaven and earth along with the human beings.

"Purple nightfall, purple sky; 
You are the breezes some places;
Let me devote to that color!
Wander to feel the aroma”

Many of us believe that, "Beauty will not be an eternity; it is a fragile perfection!”. I have a different viewpoint. Things which are so brilliant may then run out of resin or essence quickly and be unable to last for a long time; but if things are brilliant enough, they always keep themselves alive and last longer. Bằng Lăng in many other places belongs to the first case; however, Bằng Lăng in TDTU belongs to the second one. I pass this road everyday and notice that Bằng Lăng trees are always evergreen and in bloom all through the years.

In this place, not only Bằng Lăng with the purple hue of heaven and earth; there are  also Aster amellus, known as Thạch thảo in Vietnamese; and Multiflora rose, known as Tường Vi in Vietnamese in bloom beautifully all year round.

A man whose life unnecessarily shines brightly, but shines perseveringly ever said: "Success is not a destination; failure is not predestined; it matters to those who are brave enough to take steps forward on their path”. The eternal purple hue at the University reminded me of this for a moment!