PHỤ–THUỘC
Dependent.
He has always been an independent individual. He is unsure when he started becoming like this. Was it because of the individualistic society that he is in? Or was he just created this way? Something intrigued him as he was pondering on the Word. Someone said, “apart from Me you can do nothing.” This sounds extreme. He wondered if the person meant that to be literal or was that just an exaggeration. And what does that mean for him as one who is not used to depend on anyone, or anything?
“You can do nothing.” Of course, I can do a lot of things. I can do anything.
“Keep on pondering.”
Phụ–Thuộc (Vietnamese)
That doesn’t sound like me, at all.
It’s interesting how this word consists of two components. Phụ in this case means to be reliant or to be attached. Thuộc is to be a part of, to belong to, or to be subordinate to something. Thinking about how this word is composed alone fascinates me. Is that what being dependent is about, that when I depend on someone, I also attach myself to them like a strong connection that is constant and permanent?
“Abide in me.” Phụ also means Father. Wait, I never thought about this. Is this just a coincidence? Whatever it might be, something new started to overflow inside of me.
To be the Father’s is to be dependent on Him alone.
Bryce Nguyen | February 2024
This artwork is exhibited from February 2-23, 2024
at Connie A. Eastburn Gallery, Cairn University, Langhorne PA.
