March 30, 2013 — Dupe M
March 30, 2013 — Dupe M
If someone told me a year ago that I would drive from one end of Lagos to the other in the name of love, I would have LOL’d. Loudly. However, that is precisely what I did today. I guess that’s what long distance relationships do to people. Or maybe it’s just me. I don’t know. But when you haven’t seen each other in weeks because you live in different states, he has work, you’re broke, and your parents are scared of you flying local (they’re perfectly alright with you flying international, mind you), you take what you get. Easter gives me four days. I can manage that.
When you’ve spent your whole life dedicating every major holiday to family, it’s pretty hard to step out of that. But a time comes when other people become as important, when your family becomes the people you choose, rather than the group you were born into. A time comes when you’d rather drive across the state to see one man you met a few years ago, than go across the road to the wedding of your second cousin twice removed.
Times change, we grow up and define ourselves and our lives and the people who really are important to us. We figure out what matters to us, what really makes us happy. And we do what we can to make sure they are in our lives.
So, today, I decided to forget the distance, forget the traffic, forget the uncle that would be upset that I didn’t go for his son’s wedding. I decided to do what makes me happy, to be with the person who makes me happy.
Today was a good day.
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If Dupe had her way, she would spend every day in bed with a good book, munching on crackers, drinking Ribena, and listening to strange music. Since life doesn’t work that way, she spends her time trying to make something of herself, and occasionally indulging in poorly written romance novels and AfMag Yoruba. She blogs at Not Your Usual Cup of Tea (when she remembers) and retweets interesting things as @dupemacaulay. She has given up on pseudonyms.