A.K.A. "He is." Alex taught me so much about loving myself just the way I am. Alex is a comfort and friend to me on a daily basis since the first moments I read about his story. There's never been a character to me who feels like they were written to help me navigate through life, quite like ACD and to have him on screen representing me, and so many other people is a dream come true. In a life filled with me always being told or believing that I'm "too much", after finding Alex, I gained a newer understanding of myself and how important it is that I find power from the "too much" and how I can redefine that myself and use it as a stregth and something to be proud of.
Happy Birthday, Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz. My dear Alex who has shown me freedom isn't just a length of rope, but that it's a rope attached to our chests pulling us toward the people who we can be courageous enough to love and find freedom with. To Alex, who helped Henry find his stregth and who had his arms open wide to comfort and love him the way he desperately needed. To Alex, who gave two of the most beautiful speeches I have ever read/heard, that were life changing and are words that I think about daily. I love you, Alex. You are brave, kind and so true to yourself. And I know you're spending your day being loved on by Henry, and by having some fun with your friends too, just like this.
Thinking about that scene where Alex asks Nora if Percy has heard from Henry and she says, "Percy said that Henry sometimes goes into his cocoon phases and the only thing to do is just wait it out." and Alex immediately replies with, "I can't wait it out, I'm going crazy here."
It made me think of just how many times Henry went into his "cocoon phases" and the people around him just "waited it out" until his sadness passed and he felt like himself again to let them in.
Was Alex the first person to just barge into Henry's cocoon? Was Alex the first person who couldn't just let Henry ride out his sad days by himself? Was Alex the first person who demanded to have Henry share his burdens with him? Was Alex the first person who has ever GOT him?
As someone who goes into frequent depressive episodes and shuts everyone out, this hits too close to home.