Love is a journey, and every journey has its own beginning

Hanoi, December 21, 2024
When we planned our honeymoon, we looked for a place to celebrate our love. And Hanoi—a city filled with history, culture, and romance is the perfect choice.

The capital city of my Vietnam, with its historic charming of pagodas, temples, peaceful lakes, and poetic atmosphere, felt like the right setting for the first chapter of our married life. But today, I don’t just want to write about Hanoi. I want to dedicate this to my wife, Linh—the woman who’s my second half, the woman I will love forever, and hopefully will be the host of my funeral (I’m serious).
First Connection
I had never truly believed in destiny—until I met her. The first time I talked to Linh, I felt something strange, something familiar. It was as if we had known each other for a long time, even though we had just met. That first conversation was effortless, like reconnecting with an old friend rather than meeting someone new.
First impressions are powerful. When you meet someone for the first time, that moment can define everything. If you feel comfortable, if you feel safe, if you feel curious to know more—that’s how connections are built. And that’s exactly what happened with Linh and me. I wanted to listen to her, to understand her, to know everything about her. And she felt the same way.
From that first conversation, our bond grew naturally. We worked together, spent more time together, and eventually, we fell in love. Now, as I sit beside her on our honeymoon, looking at her smile under the soft glow of Hanoi’s streetlights, I realize that love is not just about finding the right person, but at the right time and the feeling “at home” when you are with them.

Linh
Linh is an open-minded and outgoing person. I believe a big part of these traits comes from her job. She is a primary school teacher, spending her days surrounded by children. She teaches, guides, and supports them, shaping not only their knowledge but also their character. To do that, she has to be patient, understanding, and full of positive energy. I admire her for this. Teaching children is not just a job; it’s a responsibility. No matter how she feels inside, she always shows up with a bright smile, ready to inspire her students. That takes strength. I am also a teacher, but my students are working professionals. They don’t need me to shape their personalities—they already have their own. My role is to help them be more effective, to give them the knowledge they need. So, Linh and I approach our work in completely different ways.
Linh grew up in a well-disciplined family, where my father-in-law served in the army, she told me, from a young age, she learned the value of patience, order, traits that she carries into our marriage. She is gentle and always willing to learn, striving to be a good wife. We’ve calling each other Linh-the junior wife, Tien-the junior husband. One of the things I love about my junior wife is her patience. I can be hot-tempered at times, but Linh never reacts with anger. Instead, she chooses silence in the moment, letting things settle before calmly discussing later. Her ability to bring peace into our relationship is something I deeply appreciate, it’s such a crucial quality of a wife, isn’t it?
YEP, that’s what makes us such a great match. We learn from each other. She teaches me patience, and I teach her strategy. She reminds me to enjoy the moment, and I remind her to plan for the future.

Before November 10, 2024
Before we got married, she was a “YOLO” girl. She believes in experiences. For her, life is about living fully, making memories, and seeing the world. Since she graduated three years ago, she has prioritized traveling whenever she has free time, exploring new places with friends and family.
I, too, love experiences, but I am also someone who believes in preparation. Maybe it’s part of my Vietnamese culture, or maybe it’s just who I am, but I’ve always been the type to work hard and play occasionally. As a man, I’ve always focused on building my career, on making sure that my future is secure before indulging too much in fun.

These differences could have made us clash, but instead, they made us stronger. Love is not about finding someone who is exactly like you—it’s about finding someone who complements you. She reminds me to slow down and enjoy the present, and I remind her to think about the future. We balance each other. And that, I believe, is what love is truly about.
Despite our differences, we have one important thing in common: honesty. We are both straightforward people, and we both believe in open communication. This has helped us build a strong foundation, where we always know what the other is thinking and feeling. For me in love, honesty is everything. It allows us to grow together, to understand each other, and to face challenges as a “team”

After November 10, 2024
Marriage is a new chapter—one filled with unknowns. We are both young, and neither of us has experience in married life.

There are many things we still need to learn. For the past 30 years, I’ve lived with complete freedom—free to make my own decisions, free to use my time however I wanted. Linh was the same. But marriage is different. Now, every decision we make affects both of us. We have to think about each other, support each other, and grow together. It’s not always easy. But that’s okay. We are both students in this subject, learning as we go. To make things smoother, we have created some ground rules—especially about privacy and finance. So far, things have been going well. But more than rules, what matters most is our willingness to compromise, to listen, and to be patient with each other.
As I look at Linh now, sitting across from me in a little café in Hanoi, sipping her tea and smiling at something on her phone, I feel grateful. Grateful for this love, for this journey, for this woman who has become my partner in life. We have a long road ahead, with many adventures, challenges, and beautiful moments waiting for us. But no matter what happens, I know one thing for sure: as long as we have each other, we will be just fine. This is just the beginning of our story. And I can’t wait to see where it takes us next.
Let’s see, And I will keep you updated – my lovely readers