The anchor

 

 

 

There is a tattoo on my father’s left arm - an anchor.

My father said when he was about twenty, after getting married with my mom, they moved our home to Tay Nguyen. They left behind their fishing village, their hard childhood with jars of fishsauce on their small shoulders or waiting-to-be-mended nets. But it was even harder when they were in the new place. My father used the word “Lived by makeshifts” to describe our family’s tough time. From early morning to evening, my mom and dad went logging, improved every meter of soil to plant trees. Then at night, they spent time on sewing clothes to exchange for rice. I looked at my father’s sunburned back, there were many tiny black moles that need to be looked closely to find out.

My father got that tattoo after the second sugarcane when the whole field was about to harvest, then suddenly was burned all. As my mom told me, at that time the place was like a hot pan, it could be burning anytime. Then my dad moved to the burnt-over land and stayed there till the last cane was cut. The day before the next season, my father got the anchor tattoo. 
When I was a child, I thought only cruel men get tattoos. Maybe my dad wanted to look stronger and more aggressive.

Then when I get a job, sometimes when the result does not turn out as I want, I usually think about quitting and finding something easier to do. It could take more time and effort but easier than this tough thing. At the last time I looked at my family photos, I saw my father "anchor”. I just realized, the tattoo appeared when he faced his life obstacle. If my father chose to quit at that moment to do something easier, safer, then there would be no the next and next sugarcane seasons. My sister and I would not be born in a beautiful house that made from my parents’ sweat and blood. Maybe, the anchor was the way my father told himself to be consistent with his choice - keep doing, keep moving on.

If I just find something hard and want to quit, when will I know the feeling of doing my best and the faith in my choice?
If the anchor is not strong enough, how will people confidently sail out to sea? If the mind is not peaceful enough, how will I face to life obstacle?

I look around and see Mandy just refused a scholarship to stay with Saxa, Bella quit her tour guide job when it was so successful. Or Bu, who moved from Halong to Saigon just to follow her dream of writing a book. They all have to anchor in somewhere they trust and go ahead. Is there ny captain who is resolute like me?

I do not think about of getting an “Anchor” tattoo like my father, but I know this is the time I need to anchor a consistent faith in my choice.

Sally – Quoted from Saxa Grow Up Handbook 26.10.2016.

#storyatSaxa #consistent #anchor