Letters of Love #2 —ToMi
This article is best enjoyed whilst listening to the song “Day Is Done" by John Prine - https://youtu.be/ZbpPUT56AzA
Hey Tomi,
So, you know how I once said I don’t believe in soulmates? Well, I’ve changed my stance. I don’t just believe it, I think we are soulmates. You, me, and whatever name we choose to call this thing we have burning inside of us like a terrible case of an episode of Hot Ones.
I believe I came into your life and just changed it up. I made you start believing that you are indeed a good, nay, great person even though you will swear to the high heavens that you’re a baddie. I reminded you of how terrible you are as a dancer, although you still claim you’re better than Chris Brown. I came into your life and I made you fall hopelessly in love with me —ish.
Now, I would admit that my intention at the start wasn’t to stick around. I wanted to hit it and quit it initially, but you just kept pulling me back in. First, it was the attention you showered on me. You were always responding to my messages faster and with funny WhatsApp stickers and then I started learning how to use these same WhatsApp stickers. Second, you began introducing me to your family members and soon enough, Bros Kenny was asking me questions about marriage; and about me and you and what we were to each other. It was exhausting.
Honestly, it was a lot, and if not for the fact that you’re pretty and that even when you claim to take a bad picture, it still looks great, I may have actually skedaddled. But I think the real reason I stuck around is because it would have been physically impossible to leave you. Why? Soulmates.
I stuck around because every time I felt like the weight of the world was getting too big for me to handle, you were there to laugh with me, sending me that favorite WhatsApp sticker of an old woman in a red buba top, who somehow is able to become the Goddess of Stones, teleporting one hilariously through the air to hit an innocent lady.
The truth is that you came into my life and I became a totally different person. I became someone who could be there to say “Pele” when it mattered. I became good at listening to all your crazy ass stories and realizing that you are really, really terrible at telling stories —any stories— linearly. With you in my life, I felt the fullness of kindness when it felt like life was being unnecessarily hostile towards me.
I remember staying up late into the morning to watch YouTube videos with you online. I remember watching you sleep once and thinking, “Why is her mouth bending like that sef?” I remember you watching me sleep and thinking “He’s so cute when he sleeps.” I remember being there to see you push yourself to become better when it would have been easier to stay stagnant and complacent.
And I hope whoever your future lover is reading this never forgets that when they are with you, they are getting the results of a lot of works in progress, which is you. Always on the move to improve yourself and others too.
In your dedication to being better than your previous self, you have taught me warmth and compassion. You are my soulmate and not in the “we will die together” kind of way. Rather, with you, I feel a sense of peace knowing you are constantly seeking your own. As much as I would like to take credit for a lot of things, I know for certain that if it wasn’t me and you, it may have been you and someone else. Maybe some other lucky bastard —like the future lover who is probably reading this right now.
But I count myself lucky, regardless. I found you. Our souls are intertwined forever; these letters are the strings that bind them. I’ll forever root for you. I’ll forever be in your corner. And in moments when you feel as though you are open to cheating on your future lover, rest assured I will be happy to offer myself up and cheat with you.
Happy birthday countdown, Tomi. I love you more than Fitz (pun intended) loved Olivia.
Until the next one,
Cheers!