And here I sit, wondering how I should begin. Life has had its toll on me as it has done to all men. Now, how better to move on than to look back, retrace my steps, pour out my heart to another while setting my eyes ahead and moving on, but here the pen lay submissive in my hand and my notepad stares blankly at me with the very words that has me hooked “LETTER TO MY TEENAGE SELF”

I know it is expected that I start with “Dear teenage self” while telling her all the errors that she made and how she could have been better. I shall try to walk in that line but allow me begin as I say.

Dear teenage self,
I am proud of you, proud of all the decisions you made, of all the times that you stood alone while learning to be independent. I am proud of the years you held things together, held in all the pain and sorrows that life threw at you, and all thought you had no pain or worries. I am proud of the times you sought for help but none could help and above all I am proud you chose to see that life was not as they claimed and that men are liars, and the ones who aren’t, have corrupted the truth.

Remember the days we spent before the T.V and our young eyes were filled with the Disney stories about how the princess needs saving by the Prince or as we grew older, the scene changed to tell us that a kiss meant love and sex is love in action.

Remember the days as mid-teens when society and our body told us we had to practice for love: They told us we would find “the one” if only we played the dating game and searched among many.

Remember when the music video came on and society said we had to model the video vixens to be accepted and our low self-esteem made us conform.

Remember the days, we spent wallowing in self-pity at the circumstances surrounding our lives because the internet showed us men who had better lives.

It was all a lie/ half-truth: it was all a trick to make us sell our soul to the spirit that rules this world, they perverse the truth to us. Disney introduced us to a longing it could never satisfy —the need for love, the society exposed us to pain it could never heal, heartbreaks, while the videos and its vixens introduced us to wantonness that brought us shame and a lack of confidence in our body, and the internet, filled our hearts with a void that it could not fill, a lack of contentment.

They lied to us, but I found an antidote to all their poisons. I met One who could fill the emptiness and I realized Disney had not lied
nor told the truth. For there is a prince charming, only He isn’t Barbie’s Ken or Cinderella’s prince. I found the one who healed the heartbreaks and His name isn’t chocolate or wine or ice-cream. And He makes me smile, while feeling confident in my own body minus the lasciviousness.

Now I am contented and my void filled, no dating game yet I found the One. He has promised to walk with me all through life and I believe him, no one else can love me so and to top it all, He has promised me a blissful marriage if we remain together till the end – I have promised myself that I would, I am tired of the lies and half-truth, I know by now you would be too. Now I know the truth and I am contented at last.

Dear teenage self, this young man’s name is Jesus, you may not have met Him yet but on the 27th of March 2017, He will be waiting for you. Dress your best.
Bye for now

Written by Ajiyo Ifeoluwakiishi(His manifestation)