2024 has been a reframing year for me—a year of learning self-love, embracing my flaws, independence, and discovering what it means to grow. Not just in growing and learning, but loving myself. I realized so many things and learned many valuable things about stepping outside my comfort zone, self-reliance, and the importance of self care. Relying on myself and being independent, not having to rely on anyone else, embarking on adventures I’m afraid of, and most importantly, self-love and self-care, were all the new things I learned and recognized.
In this world, we all aren’t perfect. We have our flaws. I’ve come to understand that our imperfections are what make us unique, without them we lose the essence of our individuality. 2024 taught me to embrace and cherish these flaws. Our flaws define us. 2024 is a year of learning and success, now we are moving on for even more success and growth. Every year is a chance and opportunity for growth, cherishment, development, and redemption. That’s what makes every year so special. We are not lucky, we make our own luck.
To change is never a bad thing, but it can give new beginnings and ends. We only have one lifetime, we should make the most out of it. 2025 is one year, we should make the most of it. Our life travels by fast, we should do whatever we can to capture the moment. That’s what makes life so extraordinary–the opportunity to grow and cherish every moment. One day, these will all be memories. Someday, we’ll all be a parent, a grandparent, and even possibly a great grandparent. These memories are history and deserve to be shared. Our memories shape the future, for the future generations of our families. What 2024 teaches you, can be taught in 2044, and so on. 2025 as our new year, allows for more to learn but also teach.
In May 2024, I faced one of the most difficult experiences of my life:the passing of my grandmother, whom I affectionately called “Mama.” She wasn’t just my grandmother—she was my guide, my mentor, and my caretaker. While my parents were busy working tirelessly, trying to make ends meet, and provide for my family, the one who would make sure I had a warm meal to hug after school, got enough sleep, make sure I was dressed properly for school, and ensure I got home safely by waiting at the end of the street on a foldable chair and walking me back home even though she herself had trouble walking, was my grandmother.
Her passing made me realize how much I relied on someone else for everything and left an emptiness that made me realize how dependent I was. I was so dependent on others, that I never truly understood what it meant to care for someone else the way she cared for me. It took me many years to realize, it’s my turn to do the same for not just someone, but everyone. Her legacy made me realize how supportive families can be and that I want to be that source of love and support for others. I hope one day, when I am a grandmother myself, I can guide my grandchildren with the same warmth and wisdom she did for me. So then one day, they will realize how much their grandmother did for them and go out there and do the same for the world. As Mother Teresa once said, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” I stand strongly by this, because 2024 also taught me that family doesn’t necessarily have to be blood.
Family is not just a word, it can be many things, a place like home, people like your friends, and beyond. Family is a lot of things, but blood does not have to be included to be considered family. Family doesn’t have to share your DNA or blood. To me, my family is not just my family at home who shares my blood, family is my community at school, my teachers who encourage me everyday to keep going despite the struggles, the people who I play sports with, the people who just listen to me. Family is that loving connection you have with someone.
Not blood. In 2024 I realized that family isn’t blood, sometimes the people who care and love for us, love for us even more than those who share the same blood. That is what makes our world so special. We love one another unconditionally no matter if they are related to us in blood. Those who love us, are the ones who make us stronger everyday, who encourage us to go to work and school everyday, who show you their full support no matter what, who motivate you to work hard. But most important of all, the ones who love us the most, are the ones who strengthen us to face our fears.
2024 not only taught me about being independent, and family, but to face my fears. I fear tall heights on roller coasters, yes it may sound silly, but I was always the person who stood alone waiting for their friends to get off a ride, and it’s always made me feel like an outcast, lonely, and even ashamed. But my friend encouraged me to, telling me if I never experience a tall roller coaster, how can I tackle bigger challenges in life? That moment encouraged me to try.
Hesitantly I decided to give it a try. What made me feel good was the happiness, excitement, and joy of riding with my friends. The anticipation before you go up a huge curve, the screaming and yelling as you drop down, the laughing and chuckling as the wind breezes through our hair as we are upside down on the ride. I realized that facing my fears, not only makes me grow stronger as a person, but stronger with my bonds with people. That ride was more than just a thriller;it was a reminder of how much we grow when we allow others to help us take the leap. The help, and motivation of someone else, makes you grow as a person.
On my Vietnam 2024 summer trip, I connected with my long distance cousins, relatives, and aunts. I did some volunteering with them to help out with dogs. To be honest, I really just was thinking of a nice chill, going to the beach type of vacation. I never really thought of volunteering during my summer break. But my cousins insisted I come and help out. Their enthusiasm was contagious. Their help and motivation, helped me realize my love for helping not just people, but animals. Even doing the littlest thing, makes the biggest impact.
Me helping those dogs, gained me a better relationship with them and the animal world. Those dogs also probably realize how caring humans can be. The dogs who were once neglected, and mistreated, are now being helped by that same species. This helped me realize I wanted to make a change for not only everyone in the world, but animals as well. Because of my cousins encouraging me, I discovered something I want to make an impact on. One day, I hope to even make it a tradition in my family to visit an animal shelter and help out. Even if we have a small amount of time and are very busy, we can just drop off supplies, and hopefully help fund these places.
2024 has taught me more than my parents have. It was quite a memorable year for me. Even though these experiences may not sound as empowering to someone else, these past experiences allowed room for growth. Perhaps these experiences can encourage someone else to do the same. Because for me, these experiences taught me things I will teach to someone else. Not just in one nation, but globally, we can create an impact. Like teachers, they teach what they have learned from years far back from a teacher who learned from another teacher. I will teach what I learned in 2024 to my family and my friends, which will be passed down. Like teachers, what they accept, they teach. What will you teach the world?
By: Hannah Pham
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