Who is Alex?

People around us are mirrors. The looking glass of ourselves through others. Sometimes we meet people who can bring out the best in us. Sometimes, they trigger the worst. Then rarely, you can also find people who can help heal you. That was Alex for me.

This enigmatic figure first emerged on June 5, 2022. He went by the moniker Hellfire, an odd choice for someone whose embers did not burn with fury or hatred. Nonetheless, of icy blue tranquility.

His username as he would later on tell me was actually from a videogame. Well, there you go: Alex is a gamer boy! At present, he enjoys playing his favorite character Loba — the sassy and glamourous character “dressed to kill” who loots the corpses of her enemies on Apex Legends.

When Alex isn’t engrossed in his virtual world of gaming, you can usually find him stretching his long legs. His “legs for days” are capable of taking him on brisk, all-night strolls. His preferred methods of escape when he wants to be “one with his thoughts” are walking, running, and jogging. It serves as his means of escape when he needs to unwind.

When the sun is out, Alex is a happy boy. He loves his sunlight! He would be like a sunflower basking in the sun’s power. Like the Child of the Universe who’s giddy to feel the warmth of the sun’s rays on his skin like it needed some recharging. He’d use any excuse available there is just to hangout with Mr. Ray of Light. Ergo, it comes not as a surprise that he has an affinity for plants too. He is a skilled gardener and landscaper who finds joy in tilting the soil.

Alex “long legs” while a man of stature is a kind soul. If Disney were in need of a Prince, he can play the part. You bet he can entice wild animals onto his lawn. Where Alex is at that’s where the wild animals will be too, i.e. wild bunnies, snakes, birds, and oh yeah, even the neighbor’s cat.

During his younger years, Alex was the Life of the Party. You’d see him clubbing with his friends, moving his booty to 90’s hip-hop songs. Although in his 20s, he was quite a warm-blooded white boy trapped in such long limbs. Don’t threaten him with a good time especially if you let him groove to any Latino dance music or Caribbean soca in a dance hall. The man can move!

You can probably find him hanging out with his homies in parking lots if he isn’t busting moves with his mates. He enjoys singing loudly in the car with friends or playing loud music that has a certain vibe. But beware — Alex’s playlist consists mainly of NSFW music, so you’ll probably need to wash your ears with holy water afterward. HAHAHAHA

But like the rest of us, Alex occasionally gets tense. He periodically loses himself in his own thoughts and feelings. But it’s all right. We’ve all experienced it too.

The fact that Alex has a profound sense of the world and is an old soul is one example of why that is the case.

He thrives on nostalgia and fond recollections.

I wish Alex a life full of love, hope, warmth, and healing on his 33rd birthday. May he never forget the beauty that resides inside him.

That person who lives life softly.

That person who finds joy in simplicity.

That person who appreciates sentimentality.

That person who enjoys serenity.

From here on onwards, I hope Alex gets to meet the other side of himself.

The Alex I observed and got to know is a person who is eager, zestful, and curious. He doesn’t give up easily. He doesn’t hide from or avoid dealing with his issues. He is courage wrapped in a bubble waiting to break free.

He is water waiting to flow.

On your birthday, Alex, in your 33rd year of being on our enchanted planet Earth, I wrote you this letter. This is because I want you to someday look back on this and ponder upon who you’ve been, who you are now, and who you’ll get to become.

Let life shape you toward your truest and greatest self.

Be like a river that runs freely, sculpting the terrain it crosses. It can be loud and powerful at times. Sometimes it’s calm and gentle. Be a pounding wave, a tranquil stream, a relaxing raindrop, or simply be silent. Be the person you want to be.

This life is yours to make.

Meet yourself via the eyes of others. But only agree with those who look into your eyes, see your soul and those who’ve once stood in your place.

…the individuals who hold you accountable for your shortcomings rather than punishing you for them…the people who celebrate your strengths instead of those who magnify your flaws.

Embrace your vulnerability because that is your superpower.

Let the light enter the cracks so that it can heal them. Be true to who you are!

Discover yourself.

Learn more about yourself. Allow others to learn about themselves through you. Develop your community. Maintain your connections with those who fill your cup up again and again. Overflow.

Thank you again for helping me in my own journey.

I’m grateful to have met a kindred soul whose presence is a force of calm, comfort, and security.

Just like I’ve previously told you, I’m pleased to have reconnected with aspects of myself that I haven’t seen in a very long time through this dynamic with you.

I appreciate you taking me back to rediscover some of my happy childhood memories and reconnect with some of my core personality traits.

I’m thankful for the absurd talks and the blissful moments, where occasionally emptiness turns into warm recollections from the past.

I’m grateful that our chats have brought my innocent enthusiasm and zest FOR life TO life.

For that, I really appreciate you.

For you to reflect back on your 34th birthday, here is a short time capsule.

I wonder what Alex would be like if he were a year older. What kinds of tales does he have to tell? I wonder what nostalgic memories he will think of.

So, here you go… Here’s your birthday memento.

You have this now to remember this moment by.

P.S. You promised me no more sad birthdays. So, when you feel down. Remember you have this moment to remember us by.

For now, I hope meeting me somehow made a dent in your year. It certainly was for me.

No matter how life unfolds for you, own it — every good and bad that comes with it.

Make it count. Live it well.

‘Till then, I hope you stay as a force of good.

Thank you for helping me restore my faith in humanity.

Happy birthday Alex. You’ll always be Lexiecon to me.

Light…
Is all over us
Like it always was