Today’s been a good day. I say this with the wholehearted knowledge that my life will be very different and yet all too familiar at the same time.

Finally had a proper conversation with my parents since I was alive.

No more hiding. No more “negative peace”.

I told them how I felt. How they treated me throughout my childhood and teenager years. The religious trauma. The corporal punishments.

My dad’s a tougher nut to crack but I think in the end he understood and respected my feelings. It feels like a whole chapter of my life just closed in an instant. Just from one talk.

I know that may be the optimist in me speaking but I think I can finally slowly move away from the past and look forward to the future.

I can finally be at peace knowing that my relationship with the family is finally moving to something I can be happy with.

13 year old me would have not imagined this day whatsoever.

My friend joked that this isn’t how “normal” Asian parents would have reacted. Well I wouldn’t know, my experience is that everyone’s parents are different. We won’t know until we try.

I guess I did live up to my childhood name after all - “the destroyer”. To ashes the trauma burns, and in the soot a new tree sprouts.

Funny that this had to take place on October 7. I guess I can say many good things have happened on this date.