One of my best friends Kelechi Gabriel passed away five years ago and today would have been his 26th birthday. Sometimes it doesn't feel real that he is no longer here and also just seeing how fast time has gone. I remember the night I heard the news and also where I was and how I reacted. I was in my first year at Texas Tech when this happened and it has been almost 3 years since I graduated. We all miss him everyday and I just want to honor him today by writing about some lessons I learned from him and how he has impacted me going forward. Funny enough he is the one who had gotten me to take a break from social media and take a detox at times.
I remember when he told me he was taking a break from social media for a couple months when we were at our community college and I didn't understand it at first. Social media at that time for me was everything and I was constantly posting everything and was in contact with a lot of people but he wasn't. He told me about how he would go off for a couple months to reset himself and also just lock into what really matters to him because at times he get distracted. I started doing this a couple years after and I was able to see the benefits. I would go on for 6 months and then take 4 off to reset. The time off was beneficial and was able to help me focus on the things that matter and also find purpose.
The 2nd thing I learned from him was God was never done with us and it is amazing how he can transform our lives. My friend wasn't perfect like all of us during his high school years and sometimes was around the wrong people but upon finding God and getting saved, I saw how much his life changed. He became a perfect representation of God's love and how he never gives up on us no matter what. Mr. Gabriel helped me grow stronger in my faith and we were able to come to each other during tough times.
The last thing I learned from him was chasing purpose and letting God lead us to make a difference in the life of others. My friend had a goal to become a history teacher and he was going to UNT before he passed away. I know he would have achieved his goal and he was also able to help me find my purpose of making a difference in the lives of others. So that is why I titled this post Mr. Gabriel to pay homage to his dreams, goals and purpose of becoming a teacher. We miss you a lot Mr. Gabriel and you are always in our hearts. Thank you for everything you taught me and just overall for being my brother. Happy 26th Birthday.
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