A hardship-filled journey of raising a child

Pham Thi Phuong (born in 1980, originally from Thai Binh, now residing in Hung Yen province) saw her first marriage collapse at the age of 18. At that time, she was only 4 months pregnant with her first daughter.

Although her grandparents, parents, and siblings welcomed her back with open arms, loving and helping her wholeheartedly, she still felt her future was bleak.

Her journey as a single mother lasted for 28 years. She recounted that after giving birth, she worked every possible job to earn money to raise her child, from being a construction worker to making bricks and washing dishes for hire. The daily wage for construction work back then was only VND7,000/day, yet she worked diligently regardless of sun or rain.

When her child grew stronger, she entrusted the baby to her parents to go to Quang Ninh to work as a coal carrier. The work was no less grueling, but in return, the wages were better, allowing her to provide her child with a comfortable life.

When her daughter entered secondary school, following her parents' advice, she returned to her hometown to run a small tea stall to have time to supervise and teach her.

“Time passed, and my daughter and I persevered together. My parents and siblings also sheltered and helped us a lot.

In 2017, after years of saving, I managed to build a two-story house on the land given by my maternal grandparents. My daughter and I finally had a stable place to settle down,” Phuong recalled.

Throughout all those years, although many people expressed affection, she never once reciprocated. She did not give a single thought to seeking her own happiness, solely focusing on working to earn money, raising her child, and teaching her to become a good person.

In 2025, her daughter got married and established her own happy home. Only then did she feel more relieved and consider the advice of others: “It is time to seek your own happiness.”

“My daughter told me many times: ‘Mom, I cannot be by your side day and night, so I really hope you find a suitable person to be your companion for the rest of your life. As long as they love you and make you happy, I will support it,’” Phuong shared.

The happy wedding

And finally, Phuong met the man who made her ready to open her heart and entrust her life. That man is Tinh (born in 1983), living 10km away from her house.

The two met during an outing with a group of mutual friends. Tinh took a liking to Phuong at first sight and enthusiastically pursued her.

She initially only viewed him as a friend. However, after a period of interaction, feeling that this man was simple, sincere, and knew how to listen and understand, she gradually became moved.

“He had also gone through a marriage and has a son currently living with his mother. His mother has passed away, and his father has remarried. He lives alone in his own house.

Visiting his home and seeing how neatly and tidily he arranged everything, I felt that this man deeply values family. The way he cares for and pampers me also demonstrates that,” Phuong said.

She decided to entrust her happiness to Tinh. Their relationship was supported by both families. Her daughter remained consistent, always wishing for her mother to find a companion to rely on in the future.

Their wedding was held in early April 2026 with many unforgettable memories.

“He told me, ‘Whether we hold a big wedding, a small one, or even just move in together, the final destination is still happiness. But I want us to organize a proper ceremony, viewing this as a milestone marking our happiness.’

So we followed all traditional steps, from engagement to the wedding ceremony. On the engagement day, his family brought five ceremonial trays, and both sides conducted the rituals properly,” Phuong said.

On the wedding day, the bride’s family prepared 55 banquet tables, while the groom’s  hosted more than 20 tables for relatives, friends, and neighbors. The groom arrived with a decorated wedding car in a joyful atmosphere.

During the ceremony, her mother also tearfully told her: “You have been through so much and never thought of remarrying. Now I just hope you both live peacefully together.”

Thanh Minh