Bougainvillea flowers in Vietnam. Photo by Truong Ha
My family was enjoying some quiet time together when a noisy group of strangers suddenly gathered in front of our house.
During Tet (Lunar New Year) last month, a friend of mine who comes from a well-known tourist destination told me he did not even want to go back home for the holidays as his hometown was too crowded.
As usual, I tried to comfort him. “If it is crowded, that just means it is lively,” I said.
He replied immediately: “It is for people doing business and selling things. But for those who actually live there, it is exhausting.”
That conversation reminded me of the bougainvillea that used to grow on my front gate. When it was in full bloom, the flowers covered both gate pillars and cascaded down in bright clusters. At first, I felt happy seeing people stop to take a few photos.
But after a while, more and more people started showing up. They stood right outside the gate, spilling onto the road, parking their motorbikes nearby and chatting loudly. Some casually leaned against the gate. Some picked the flowers. Some even left trash behind. And I began to worry about my family’s privacy if those photos ended up on social media.
In the end, I decided to cut down the tree so the entrance to my house would be less of a photo spot.
Of course, many people might feel sorry about it and wonder why I would cut down something so beautiful. But beautiful for whom?
Just because there is a beautiful scene in front of someone’s house does not mean the homeowner has to put up with strangers gathering there to take photos all day.
That is why I sympathize with those whose home suddenly became a popular check-in spot. Most people who stop to take pictures for a few minutes probably do not think they are bothering anyone.
But as the number of people grows and they show up every day, it slowly becomes a constant disruption to a family’s daily life.
I believe beauty should be shared. But sharing can only last when there are limits. No one should have to sacrifice their private life just to satisfy other people’s desire for photos.
*This opinion was submitted by a reader. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match Read’ viewpoints.
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