Fellipe Brito

Free Thought

Goodbye 2017

By Fellipe Brito

Every year I sit here at my computer, very early on the morning of the 31st, before everyone wakes up, and I meditate a bit, between photos and thoughts on how my year went. Here you can see the posts from previous years: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.

2017 was the year I got to know Europe. It wasn’t planned, but it happened and it was incredible. Not only did I take my beautiful wife to celebrate her birthday with dinner at the Eiffel Tower, but I was in Barcelona, watching one of the greatest teams of all time play what was probably the greatest comeback in soccer history. Barcelona 6 x 1 PSG. Three goals in 5 minutes and into stoppage time. 100,000 people at Camp Nou… it was unbelievable.

2017 was also a year when I broke through the “I don’t have friends here” barrier. Let me explain: I’m a quiet, low-key guy, and I have a lot of difficulty starting a friendship. Of course, those who know me and live around me don’t think that’s true. But that’s exactly the point — I don’t know how to “start being friends” with someone. Anyway… I spent 4 years here pointing in every direction to prove how alone I was, and in the middle of my selfishness and that bad idea of just looking at my own navel, I wasn’t seeing that I wasn’t the only lonely one here. Los Angeles is a city full of lonely people, so I decided to change something.

The pastor at Mosaic, here in LA, said something brilliant in one of the meetings: A lot of people are excellent at being the Thermometer, when in reality God called us to be the Thermostat. We aren’t called by Jesus to point out the temperature of a room, but to change the temperature.

So I decided to do that, we opened our home and invited all kinds of people to come over. Joana and I cook for them, serve them, and even though not all of them have become super close friends, it’s already getting hard to count our friends on the fingers of our hands, because they’re multiplying :)

In 2017, a friend from when I was single came to visit me. Chico!!! It was really nice having him over. Chico hosted me at his place several times when I was a kid going to Curitiba without a cent in my pocket to serve at our church there. It was incredible to be able to host him at my house in LA, and pay back a little of the love he and his family always gave me.

In 2017 I also saw my cousin… Renato is my first cousin; we grew up together, but life took us in different directions. We hadn’t seen each other for many years, until, by a huge coincidence, I was in Spain in March. He was a sweetheart and traveled 6 hours to meet me in Barcelona. It was just one night and one morning, but it was REALLY GOOD! We have to do this more times, cousin… maybe for Paris x Real Madrid!? Or maybe you come visit me now?

I always go to concerts, but in 2017 I didn’t go to that many. However, the John Mayer show we watched was worth 10. What a great show. Good lyrics, impeccable production, and music (and musicians) on another level.

In 2017 I played 13 times at Mosaic! Incredible experiences, from a crazy night playing keyboards while Chris Durso gave his message, to the very special last night, the Christmas one. I can’t wait for what’s going to happen next year.

AAAAARRRRRROOOOONNNNNN!!!!! In 2017 our beloved godson was born, son of our dear Thiago and Carol. What a privilege to be part of your life, even from afar, Aaron. We’re waiting for you to grow up so you can come visit us.

New York, London, Paris, Barcelona, LA, Nashville — and that’s just naming the big cities, not counting the countless small ones… 2017 was full of good travels and great memories.

In 2017 I formed my Surf Squad, or almost. Aaron, JD, Sean, and Tim, it was a pleasure to ride some waves with you guys, but more than that, I love sharing life with you. Thank You for accepting this Old Dude in your Saturday Mornings. Can’t wait for our next Surf Safari!

In 2017 I READ A LOT! And I still didn’t read as much as I would have liked. But besides having read the gospels several times, and the whole Bible at least once, I read many books. I don’t know where to start numbering them, but here are some tips on the ones that caught my attention the most during the year.

In 2017, again, I didn’t see anyone from my blood family. Not grandparents, not sisters, not father or mother. It’s always strange to realize the whole year went by and you didn’t see anyone. It’s still very lonely, it still hurts, and I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that being “normal.” I love you, and I really feel the absence you make in the simple things of everyday life.

In 2017 I loved my wife more than ever. It’s not hard to love Joana, she’s the most incredible woman I know and I consider myself one big lucky guy that she sees something in me to the point of deciding to spend her life with me. I’ll always be in debt to God for His grace in giving me a wife like you, Joana. Sharing life with you is a privilege and I value it very much. May many more years come and may they all pass more and more slowly — one life is too little for everything I want to live with you.

To wrap up this retrospective, I leave a message for the Fellipe of the future, and for you who are reading this post. “The Prize for winning a battle is an even bigger battle” — Erwin McManus.

Bring on 2018, and bring on the next battles… “There is still some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for” — JRR Tolkien.

Happy 2018!