I didn’t attend Autumn Meeting. Clearly, because I don’t practice arts as my profession. Nor I am that talented to be considered.

But I love observing beautiful m o v e m e n t s in arts, in communities, in business landscapes.

Artists get together for contemporary experiments and professional world-class coaching. You checkout Salon Saigon, Factory Contemporary Arts, Soul Live Projects, Autumn Meetings, Inpages, Vesta Bookstore, etc. Curators are doing their jobs, promoting young talents on stage and gradually building the Viet’s artistic identity.

Communities blossom countless youth and government-led initiatives to analyze and improve employment capabilities. Checkout Talent Generation, Fulbright Co-design Curriculum initiative, emerging education think tanks and leading magazine with science-backed research.

Universities try to rebake curriculums recipes for hybrid careers such as fintech, entrepreneurship, etc.

Venture Capitals start incubators and million dollar fund to harness the Viet tech talents and ideas.

I was there in most conferences and conversations and fortunate (a little) to be surrounded by innovators and mentors and fighters who wish to do good and are on the roads to make their visions come true.

The momentum just got kickstarted.

Broken things resist; challenges remain.

Yet, we’re not giving up.

That’s the beauty I see upon my return.

That’s what I try to observe and keep those values tight to feel belong and alive.

While most things from politics to healthcare to education are bubbling and hustling, few of these true intangible values spark little fire that keeps burning.

I have no idea how to quantify the values of belonging, happiness, conversation, and human relationships.

Not all of the movements above yield any direct GPD growth,

but they serve humanity.

“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute.

We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.

And the human race is filled with passion.

And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”

John Keating (Robin Williams, Dead Poets Society

Would you agree, mia fella ? : )

P/S: I wish I was brave and crazy enough to dive in and pursue arts but that’s just half of who I am.

One day maybe I can make myself whole again.

Or so I hope.