December 31, 2024
Dearest friends, those I’ve met and those I haven’t met—
Wherever you are, whatever your mind and heart might be occupied with, here is a letter from me as the year comes to a close.
I know it’s been a tough year. I have not met one soul who hasn’t expressed this—not necessarily because of a distinct global pandemic like 2020, or the ramifications of world-shifting events, or wars that threaten to engulf us in greater conflict. Not just because of those things, but because life is tough.
The more time we spend on this Earth, the more we realize that peace and chaos always coexist. The balance between them can feel incredibly fragile. Knowing this doesn’t mean we have to hold our breath, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Instead, it means we understand that the reality we live in—whether an objective existence or a product of our perception—is constantly asking us to change, to adapt, to evolve in order to maintain balance.
That delicate yet intense balance requires so much of us, doesn’t it? And yet, you are strong. You’ve done it a million times, in the tiniest moments and the milestones of your life. Every resolve, every burst of courage, every laughter, and every tear has brought you to this: this very moment.
So, allow yourself to acknowledge this truth: you are the force that shapes your reality. And that is no small matter.
Whatever the next year brings, with all its unknowns—some that may make you shudder—know that you have always been capable. Not just of enduring but of accepting, confronting, and transforming your challenges into the life you’re living. And your life, just like you, is so beautiful.
Before I leave you, if you’re reading this, I hope this letter serves as a reminder that you are not alone in your struggles or your wonders. It might feel that way sometimes. It might feel like everyone else is dealing with their own hard stuff. And they are. We all are.
That is precisely why we are not alone.
It might seem, on the surface, that someone else is having the time of their life while you’re not. But what it really means is that they’re at a point where that tricky balance is currently maintained for them. That balance can—and will—shift, just as your pain can also shift for you.
Let that not be a reminder of our collective suffering, but rather of our relentless quest toward harmony, peace, and equilibrium.
May you always remember the truth that is your light.
Your friend,
Lily Thanh
Lily Thanh 