Letters to My Younger Self: Alex Brito
Dear Alex,
You are a grown-up now, can you believe it? Time really flies! At 14, you just wanted it to fly by. Now, I just want it to slow down.
I am not saying being an adult is a bad thing. I enjoy being a husband and father. I also love the independence and freedom that comes with adulthood. I now can live abroad. That was your idea, remember?
If only you had known what I know now
So, the reason why I wish time had not gone so fast has nothing to do with a lack of contentment. On the contrary, I am writing to help you to find contentment at the age of 14. If only you had known what I know now, you would have avoided making a series of mistakes.
At the age of 15, you left the church to travel with a professional band. You learned a lot with them on the road. They gave you the first-hand experience you needed to set up your own band. Yes, you had a band, a cool band. Yes, you had people paying to watch your concerts. Yes, you had girls shouting when you played. However, although you thought music would give you satisfaction in life, you felt empty after a while.
You do not know it yet, but, after a few gigs, you will feel very unhappy with your life. Your dream of becoming a rock star will lead you to an unfulfilled life. Then, you will do something you had promised never to do. You begin to take drugs hoping that it would provide you with contentment.
Many of your close friends, will follow you. They have you as their leader, right? You will tell them that drugs will give them happiness. And that is true, you all felt happy. But a short kind of happiness. The reality is however, when you are not under the influence of drugs, you feel terrible. You will almost die because of your drug abuses.
You will finally find contentment
You do not know it yet, but after you leave university and move out of mom and dad’s, you will begin to read your Bible again. Then, your life will change. You will finally find contentment. You will fall in love with Jesus. But that is not all. Many people will follow your example, not because they are trying to find satisfaction on drugs as before, but because they want the hope you have. They want Jesus.
So, though you probably should have done some things differently and you might find it difficult not to take the road I described above, I want you to know that Jesus will help you to get where you need to be.
Alex
Alex Brito
Alex Brito is a husband, father and Pastor of Mosaic Multicultural Church in South London, UK.
“I hope you found Alex’s letter and his experience of transformation encouraging and inspiring. A big thank you to Alex for sharing.
What is the one thing you would tell your younger self? - Let us know in the comments section.”
Nathan L. McGuire