twentysix.

you know when 2020 started, I decided to make resolutions. I’ve never been a resolution kind of guy, but this year I chose to be about resolutions and even made it a friendly affair — I gathered my friends in my home and we had a guys’ night. and we discussed all of our goals for 2020. and the reason for that was so that we could hold each other accountable when we saw a brother struggling to achieve the resolutions that he set out for the year. one resolution that I shared that night was to be a better friend and a better human being by way of uplifting others. my goal has been to just be positive. and when I feel negative, I choose to keep it myself rather than to transmit my negativity to others.

I’ve allowed this to radiate to how I behave on social media, primarily on Instagram. nowadays you might scroll through your timeline and if we share a mutual follower, there’s a chance I’ve left a comment or I’ve messaged them something positive at some point. it’s who I try to be.

I’m not writing this to highlight or exalt myself at all, but to reflect and teach you what I’ve learned in the few short months and how it all hit me in a 24-hour span on my 26th birthday.

in life, you get what you put in.

before I went to bed two nights ago, my mood was pretty eerie. I wasn’t excited to wake up and be on the closer side of 30 years old. I hated the idea of it. and I took that to bed with me on May 12th. but when I woke up on May 13th, I grabbed my phone and found it flooded with messages on Instagram, Facebook and my inbox. There were comments left on my mother’s photos of me throughout the day. And I understand that birthday attention is common, but the attention and the outpouring of love and support that I received yesterday was more than common for me.

It was heartwarming.

It delighted me to see people share what they appreciate about me, how much they miss me, and how excited they are to see my continued growth. yesterday meant so much to me because that outpouring of love and support that so many people showed me seems to be a reflection of who I’ve tried to be in recent months.

i’m just some positive kid who comments on everything he can to uplift everybody he can. I try to make people laugh and smile. I try to ease the tension. I try to highlight the brighter side. I try to guide with love. I try to show compassion. and I try to be transparent while I do it.

yesterday showed me that a lot of you - especially those who I rarely even speak to and who I felt had no business wishing me a happy birthday - it showed me that I changed something between 2019 and 2020 that garnered your respect and your support. that means the world to me.

my 26th year will be a year of keeping the momentum and continuing to grow as a positive presence on our earth. being a man of high spirit, good humor and strong faith in every single one of you out there. because I believe in good people.

I mean every word when I say thank you to everybody who wished me a happy 26th birthday and happier 26th year. it was the greatest gift I could have asked for, and I can’t wait to wish you all a happy birthday back.

thank you.

if you want to be notified the next time we gather here for another (b)lesson, don’t forget to subscribe. i’ll always be looking forward to having you back. I can’t tell you what we’ll be talking about next time you’re here, but I can assure you it’ll be a good, quick read.

all love - love always, E.