A Father’s Day reflection
My dad, Phê, passed away many years ago following an illness. Father’s Day gives me a moment to remember him and reflect on how much of his influence is still present in my life. The older I get, the more I understand what he gave me.
Dad was born in Vietnam during the war and grew up poor. He didn’t finish school. He was an artist and an entrepreneur who built Thạnh Phát, our family’s sơn mài (Vietnamese lacquerware) business. His creativity and hard work supported our family.
Our family business even welcomed buyers from Christian Dior, who came to purchase our pieces. When I think about that now, I feel proud of what he achieved and how far his work reached.
Through years of hard work, Dad managed to send all his children to school and give us opportunities to study in Australia. I appreciate more deeply now the effort behind the opportunities we were given.
As a child, I used to help him design some of our lacquerware pieces. Those memories mean a great deal to me. I was included in his work and had the chance to contribute my own ideas to something we were creating.
Looking back, I can see how much I was learning through that experience. Sharing a design meant finding a way to express an idea, listening to someone else’s perspective and working together. Being able to contribute helped me develop confidence in what I had to offer.
Growing up around Dad and the business also taught me about people: how to communicate, show respect, build relationships and adapt to different situations. These were skills I was developing through everyday life, long before I understood how important they would become.
When I left Vietnam for Australia at 15, I took those lessons with me.
Moving overseas meant adjusting to a different culture, a new school and much more responsibility for myself. There was plenty I still had to learn. By then, though, I had a strong foundation of social skills that helped me approach people, make friends, ask for help and find my place in unfamiliar surroundings.
That foundation helped me become independent and thrive. Dad’s hard work made the move possible, and the lessons I had learnt growing up helped me make the most of it.
Today, as a speech pathologist, I have another reason to appreciate those early experiences. Expressing ourselves, listening to others and building connections are part of so much of what we do. I think about how much confidence a child can gain when their ideas are heard and they have a chance to contribute. Helping Dad with designs gave me that opportunity.
I also recognise his influence in my own love of creativity and in running a business. I have a greater appreciation now of the effort involved in creating something, taking responsibility for it and continuing through challenges. Dad did all of that while working to give his children a better future.
I wish I could tell him how much those childhood experiences still mean to me. His influence is there when I create something, connect with someone new or encourage a child to share an idea.
Thank you, Dad, for the opportunities you worked so hard to give us, and for helping me believe I could find my own way in the world.
❤️
Bình
Vietnamese sơn mài – Mum & Dad’s business
Binh Doan 