Let’s get a bit personal shall we? I try not to make my posts personal and the only time a bit of me reflects in my posts is in my poems. However, in the spirit of trying new things, I’m giving this a shot.

I’m a tea lover and I’m always ready to have tea anytime, anywhere. I’ve come across three posts this week related to this concept and caught myself writing my own version. It was supposed to stay in my drafts forever but I just hit publish. My version is a bit different because I wrote to people that I most likely will never have tea with anymore in this lifetime.

If we were having tea, you probably won’t drink your tea and that’s okay but I’d make your special cold milo drink. I would tell you how I talk to you everyday and wish you said something back to me. I would ask you all the questions I need answers to hoping you will answer every one of them. I would tell you how hard packing your things has been and that I’m still on it. I would ask if you can really see us and it’s not just wishful thinking.

If we were having tea, I would tell you how much I miss you and would love to check on you everyday. I would tell you how proud I am of the person you have become. If we were having tea, you will probably be snacking on something sweet as well. I would commend you on how big your business is now and how admirable fatherhood looks on you. I would ask if you ever think of checking on me, if you secretly check what I’m doing now and if you ever pray for me or miss me.

If we were having tea, I would tell you how much blogging means to me and how I struggle with it everyday because there are so many Nigerian young adults blogging. I would tell you how I can write a poem in seconds but contemplate about publishing it for weeks. I would tell you how I know I’m supposed to focus on a niche but I really don’t want to because everything I’m doing is me and I don’t want to be anything but that. I would tell you how I’ve been working tirelessly to grow my brand on Instagram and how it’s been a very slow process so far. 

If we were having tea, I would tell you why I started a business of selling my writings on tees. I would tell you how I’ve been spending so much in the past year without earning much. I would tell you how much I miss having a 9-5 and how I’m currently looking for a volunteer job. I would tell you how I’d like us to be present in each other’s lives. I would tell you how hard I‘ve been trying even though you think I’m not trying, I’m stuck up and I chase every new guy away.

but, we will never have tea or will we???

Mariam Shittu