Looking Back on Goodbye 2023

When I wrote my first post Goodbye 2023 I was stepping into unknown territory. I was nervous, uncertain, and trying to put words to three of the hardest years of my life. I poured my story into that post because I needed to let it out. At the time I had no idea how much writing it would change me and the journey that would soon start. I have not reached where I want to be, but just moving toward my goal has changed me and made me better as a person. I have learned so much since then. I have also continued to lose so much along the way, but it did not deter me from my destination.

Those years were full of loss. I said goodbye to my beloved Siberian husky, to my grandmother who passed away from Alzheimer’s, to family members, and to the one that hit me the hardest, my unborn child. I also began the mourning process for my other grandmother, the one I hold dearest, to Alzheimer’s once again. I wrote about how she found a broken fatherless child and gave him unconditional love. That boy was me. Even now when I revisit those words I am reminded of the truth that her love saved me.

Back then I was still raw. I was still learning how to carry those losses forward without being crushed by them. I was proud that I had conquered addiction and alcohol. I was proud that I had started working out and committed to discipline. I felt reborn, as if I had finally grown into the man I always wanted to be. Writing it down made that real. I am still continuing on my journey today, but the growth has been a blessing.

Looking back now I realize that post was more than just words. It was a line in the sand, the moment I chose to stop letting fear dictate my future. Publishing that post was terrifying, but it set me free. Even now my blog posts sit with zero readers, and yet I am still ecstatic, because I am letting go of fear. I promised myself at the start of this journey that whatever I do I will carry my real, raw, and honest self. I want this to be a place where my children can one day visit and see a part of their father that will humble them and make them proud.

Since then I have come to see that Goodbye 2023 was not really about the past. It was about claiming my future. It was my first step toward building something larger than myself, something for my children, for my grandmother, and for the child I lost named Sao.

When I read those words today, I see not just grief but strength. Not just loss but love. That post was the beginning of a journey that is still unfolding.

So this is my revisit. My reminder to myself and to anyone reading that even when life takes everything, it also leaves us with the power to rise again.

Goodbye 2023 was the start of Sao’s Legacy. Although the video still sits with six views on YouTube, and the quality is amateur, I would not change a thing. Because I had the courage to speak when my mind was telling me to stay quiet.

If you are interested you can watch this video below. I currently have two subscribers, and I am ecstatic, because it is still growth, and I have learned so much along the way.
(One of which is Adobe Premiere editing can kick your ass)

Thank you, and have a great day.

Destin B Tran