Parents on both sides

Thành took Hương's hand and said:

• I understand your discomfort and annoyance when little clashes like these happen with my parents. Little clashes like these can never be avoided in a family, even a family of blood relatives, but with blood relatives there is enough love to get past them. My parents scolded me from childhood to adulthood, but I never felt bothered because I knew they loved me, raised me, and their labour is as vast as the sky and sea. But for you, as a daughter-in-law, you don't feel any love for my parents, so whenever there's a clash or a scolding, you feel insulted and are very upset. The pressure on your mind has piled up day after day and month after month and worn you out.
  For love of me, as my wife, you hold it in and don't show your displeasure. Holding it in for so long makes you miserable. Perhaps you should go back and stay with your parents for a while to relax, and a couple of days later I'll come over to see you, because I can't leave my elderly parents here either.
  You see, whenever I visit your parents and stay and spend the whole day, I find work to do like a buffalo. I understand the feelings of a wife's parents: they struggled to raise their daughter, and when she grew up a son-in-law came and snatched her away. There is something resentful that cannot be put into words. I can only make up for it by being obedient and working hard and bringing a few small gifts.
  You remember the time Tuấn was arrested by the police for racing, just when you and I were visiting? All the anger your father felt was poured onto my head, and he cursed me terribly from morning till night. You saw me bow my head, fold my arms and listen with forbearance, as if swallowing every word of the scolding. At those moments I thought of it as honouring your parents on your behalf. You came to be a daughter-in-law in my family and no longer have many chances to honour your parents, so I always try to make it up to them whenever I get the chance. I love your parents enough that I never feel upset when we clash... Someday when you love my parents enough, you will stop feeling upset too...
  Hương burst into sobs. 💎

Filial respect for parents is the basic ethics of a human being. However much society advances and however clever technology becomes, filial piety remains unchanging. Many views of life may change with the times, especially with new technology, but there are a few basic ethical principles that must never be allowed to change. If we change those few basic principles, we turn into animals at once.

Parents' labour and love for their children are immense. We should not cite a few abnormal cases and then belittle the vocation of parents. Abnormal things exist everywhere. But we must think of the big picture: parents' labour in bearing and raising us and their love are hard to compare with anything.

A person with a moral conscience must know how to honour their parents. When young, be obedient to parents, help with the housework, and study diligently to please them. When grown up and sometimes living far away, always keep parents in mind with longing and love. Whenever there is a chance, make an effort to find time to visit and care for them.

In the old days parents often had less education, and we must still be understanding and respectful whenever we present a differing opinion. If we are comfortably off and able to support our parents in their old age, we must absolutely not recount our efforts and weigh on their hearts.
The natural human instinct is that "tears flow downward": we love our children more than our parents. This instinct is very cruel. We must be clear-headed enough to resist it in order to fulfil filial piety, and love our parents without letting that love dwindle.