It's almost the end of the year, a beautiful time to summarize the lessons of the past year, isn't it? Who impressed you the most in the past year? Let's share.
Back in September, I took a trip to the United States. It’s only now that I’ve had the time to sit down and deeply reflect on the lessons learned from that journey. One of the most memorable figures from this trip is the person represented in this photo. This is a statue of Mr. Edison, located in the garden within his winter estates.
The resort itself is incredibly vast; strolling through the garden alone can take an entire morning. Nestled by the Caloosahatchee River, the space is imbued with a poetic and serene vibe. The garden features expansive lush green lawns and a myriad of tropical trees, some centuries-old, while others were recently planted.
Upon entering the gates, you’re greeted by a canopy of verdant trees, their massive aerial roots cascading from the branches. The younger roots hover in the air, while the older ones have anchored themselves into the earth, growing into supporting trunks.
As we stepped inside, Louis nudged me and whispered, “Hey, how do they manage to shape those trees so beautifully?” I couldn’t help but laugh. Oh, my husband! Clearly, his childhood didn’t include memories of banyan trees at the village gate like mine. After I explained to him that this was a natural phenomenon and not man-made, he remained half-convinced, baffled by how nature could create such an intricate system. “This whole area feels like it’s from one tree, not many,” he said.
Setting aside the garden (though I could talk about it endlessly), let’s return to the central figure of this story: Thomas Edison.
Edison is perhaps one of the few scientific geniuses widely known by most Vietnamese people as “the man who invented the light bulb.” In truth, he wasn’t the inventor but the one who improved and commercialized the electric bulb, bringing it into every household. He once said, “We will make electricity so cheap that only the rich will burn candles.” And as we all know, that’s exactly what happened.
However, Edison’s contributions didn’t stop at the light bulb. Over his lifetime, he held a total of 1,093 patents. From the phonograph to the kinetograph (a movie camera), the kinetoscope (a film projector), and even the establishment of the world’s first film studio, “Black Maria,” Edison laid the foundation for the modern film industry.
During our visit, we also had the chance to converse with a fascinating 93-year-old gentleman. The lessons he shared are something I hope to discuss in another post.
Edison also had a profound friendship with Henry Ford, the father of the automobile industry. It was Edison’s early encouragement and support that gave Ford the confidence to embark on his journey to change the world. The story of their remarkable friendship is another tale I’d like to delve into in a future article. For now, I want to express my gratitude to my dear friend, Ly Moss, for introducing me to this place and making my time in the United States an unforgettable memory.
In today’s post, I want to highlight the most fascinating discovery from this trip, one that left a lasting impression on me: Edison’s rubber research project in his later years.
This project began in 1927, born out of the harsh lessons the United States learned during World War I and the looming fears of another war. During World War I, the U.S. faced a severe rubber shortage as supply ships from Asia were frequently attacked, disrupting imports and causing rubber prices to skyrocket. This not only impacted the booming automotive industry but also created challenges for the U.S. military.
Encouraged by his close friend Henry Ford, Edison, then 80 years old, decided to tackle this complex problem: finding an alternative source of rubber that could be cultivated on American soil. Despite his advanced age, Edison worked tirelessly for 12–14 hours a day, personally testing over 17,000 plant specimens. Eventually, he identified and improved a type of goldenrod plant that produced 12 times the usual amount of latex.
Though the project didn’t reach fruition before his health declined, leading to his passing in 1931, Edison’s strategic vision was vindicated during World War II.
Standing in Edison’s rubber research lab, one profound thought deeply resonated with me: It is never too late or too old to contribute value to life, as long as the flame of passion for labor burns within us. Creation gifted us with these hands and this mind—not for idleness but to use them and avoid justifying our own laziness.
It is through creating value that we discover the meaning of happiness.
So here’s the lingering question for reflection every day: “We only have one life, how do we want to live it?”
December 13, 2024
Thuy Hoang
All Happiness