Di Tran had a profound experience at Calvary Cemetery in Louisville, KY, when his Catholic Vietnamese church members gathered last Sunday to perform the 12 stages of the Holy Cross and pray for their loved ones who had passed away. One of those buried in the ground was Di Tran’s grandfather, and during one of the stages where everyone kneeled down and prayed at his grave, Di Tran had a moment of introspection.
Growing up in a mud hut in rural Vietnam, Di Tran spent much of his childhood with his grandfather, who was now lying beneath the earth. It made him question the meaning of life, and he asked himself, “What is the point of it all? We go through a life cycle, and eventually, we end up buried in the ground. People may remember us, but for how long? Eventually, they go back to their busy lives and forget about us.”
As he wrote this article, Di Tran’s eight-year-old son Jayden Tran, the oldest of his three children, asked him, “Which book are you writing?” Di Tran replied, “My second book,” referring to his upcoming book, “Drop the Fear and Focus on the Faith.”
The central theme of the book is that we must face ourselves if we are to find fulfillment and overcome our feelings of emptiness. We all seek completion, but the quick answer is not as simple as just finding God. As a pastor once told Di Tran, “Yes, God is the answer, but you have to find Him within yourself and surrender to the power of the universe. Be thankful and appreciative.”
Di Tran’s experience at Calvary Cemetery reminded him that life is fleeting, and we must cherish the moments we have with our loved ones. It also reminded him that we must be thankful for what we have and seek fulfillment from within ourselves rather than external sources.
Di Tran’s visit to Calvary Cemetery was a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of introspection. By facing ourselves and finding God within, we can overcome our feelings of emptiness and live a more fulfilled life.
