On August 26th, Fulbright University Vietnam (Fulbright) and partners organized “A Rose for Your Pocket” on campus. The event welcomed 100 internal and external guests who joined in an afternoon dedicated to mindfulness and gratitude towards our parents. This program aimed to provide an opportunity for participants to slow down and reflect on parent-child relationship, and be grateful towards our first providers and teachers in life.
A tribute to parents
At Fulbright, we aim to organize meaningful activities with impacts on our local community. Our educational philosophy is one of linking our curricular and extra-curricular activities to immediate and wider communities. “A Rose for Your Pocket” is part of a series of programs organized to explore the culture and identity of Vietnamese people.
Fulbright University Vietnam, along with our lecturers, parents, and students, spent an afternoon at “A Rose for Your Pocket” to express gratitude towards our parents and ancestors for the gift of life and love. At this event, we created the space and opportunity for the community to cherish their families. Moreover, participants also discussed the sentiments around the concept of “home”. We hope that after this event, participants can go home, overcome their shyness, and give an embrace to their parents, to tell them, “Dear parents, I love you so much,” and express the love that they have kept in their hearts for a long time.
Breathing in mindfulness and gratitude
Participants sing meditative songs at the start of the program
“Breathing in, I know I am breathing in
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.”
At the event, participants sang songs about family love. Furthermore, they practiced conscious breathing, the foundation of a mindful lifestyle, by focusing on one’s breath and the simple things one does every day. Paying attention to breathing in and breathing out helps bring the mind back to the body, helping us learn to be present and fully engaged in the present moment. Therefore, the event created a space and opportunity for participants to practice conscious breathing, for everyone to learn to slow down, and appreciate the miraculous and precious life in every passing moment.
A Rose for Your Pocket
Father and son with roses on their chest, father with a white rose, son with a pink rose.
“A Rose for Your Pocket” is an activity to convey a message of love and gratitude towards parents. Participants pinned either a pink or a white rose onto their shirt. Pink roses are for those with a living mother, and white roses are for those who have lost their mother. This is to recognize parents as the first and greatest people in our lives.
Sharing Circle Activity – Reflecting on our Parents
One student shared about her parents’ sacrifices. She and her dad, who was also in the audience, embraced after her story. There were also stories about the sympathy people developed towards their own mother and father after becoming parents themselves.
The sharing circle created a warm space for everyone to talk about their parents.
Fulbright student shares about the sacrifices her parents made to allow her a good life and good education
Gratitude
Through “Gratitude,” participants gave flowers and made handmade cards to express their feelings and gratitude towards their parents. The event concluded with greetings and hugs. The Fuji Yoshiwara Lions Vietnam Fund presented all participants with parting gifts, including the book “Happy Children” by Dr. Ha Vinh Tho.
Participant created a hand-made note to their mother
Book gift to young parents: “Happy children” by Dr. Ha Vinh Tho
This event was co-organized by the Development Office, Vietnam Studies Center, Wellness Center, Mindfulbright – Mindfulness Practice Community at Fulbright, and the social enterprise An Ban – Wakeup Schools Vietnam.
Mindfulbright organizes “The Calm Cafe,” which is a series of monthly open events held on Fulbright Campus to exchange knowledge and practical experiences among mindful living education communities from universities throughout Ho Chi Minh City.
More pictures from the event:
Participants sang Meditative songs together
Participants shared their reflections on their parents
Participants read a meditative essay on parenthood and the relationship between parents and children
