by Tomileye E. Abolaji
Sometimes, love does not arrive with flowers.
It does not announce itself
with a grand entrance
or a carefully rehearsed confession.
Sometimes,
it begins with a notification.
The world was quiet during the lockdown,
streets emptied,
doors closed,
and ordinary human contact
became something people missed.
Days seemed longer,
conversations became shorter,
and the internet became a window
through which many of us
tried to remain connected to life.
Then came a message
from someone who had been trying to get my attention
on Facebook.
I answered,
not because I imagined a future,
but because boredom had become
an uninvited companion.
I suggested a game.
Something simple,
something to occupy the hours,
something that would make the day
feel a little less empty.
And so we played.
But somewhere between the games
and the conversations,
something began to change.
The messages became longer.
The laughter became familiar.
The silences became comfortable.
And the person behind the screen
began to feel less like a stranger.
We started sharing pieces of ourselves
that no game could ever reveal:
our thoughts,
our dreams,
our fears,
and the little things
that make two people understand one another.
Friendship slowly became affection,
and affection found the courage to become love.
What began as a way to escape boredom
became one of the most beautiful chapters
of my life.
Today,
that stranger is my husband.
And in the laughter of our daughter,
I see the extraordinary journey
that began with something so ordinary.
It makes me wonder
how many beautiful things in life
are standing quietly behind ordinary moments,
waiting for us to notice them.
Perhaps love is not always found
where we go looking.
Perhaps sometimes
it finds us while we are simply passing time.
And perhaps the greatest surprises
are the ones
we never knew we were waiting for.
Poet’s bio
Tomileye E. Abolaji is a Legal Counsel, author, and performance poet who blends intellect with a passion for creative expression. With over eight years of experience in the legal profession, she has developed considerable expertise in litigation and dispute resolution. Beyond the courtroom, she is a passionate storyteller who uses poetry to articulate universal emotions, reflections, and truths. As the author of The Things Life Taught My Heart, she invites readers into an evocative exploration of resilience, healing, and personal growth. Her work as a performance poet has taken her creative voice across Nigeria and the United Kingdom, connecting deeply with diverse audiences. Whether in the courtroom, on stage, or through the pages of a book, she uses the power of words to inform, inspire, and transform.
