Skip to main content

Dirty Laundry Diaries: Secret Lovers

You then come to a place that you want to be more than a hush...

Black Woman Keeping Secrets



Am I the only one who feels like buffing with the obnoxious ‘couple goals’ on social media. There is a certain amount of posts as a couple that should be deemed illegal. And no, it’s not jealousy, relationships should have a level of being personal. 

"If I like you, I will not follow you on social media and neither should you. "


I have been one of those people who seeks to keep their relationships private. In actual fact I have a social media policy with whomever I date...let’s not follow each other. If I like you, I will not follow you on social media and neither should you. There’s something about people’s social media persona that I find unattractive. I would rather base my attraction to the person that I’m seeing on IRL activities.

"Navigate the relationship through your own perceptions and not what your friends or society dictates."
I’m also a believer in keeping the relationship under wraps even from close circles. Look if it’s still fresh, and in the early stages, you would rather keep it to yourself. I don’t want to be going through interrogation by my inner circle about something that just might fizzle out quickly. For the first few dates and perhaps few months of a relationship it’s good to listen to only your own voice. Navigate the relationship through your own perceptions and not what your friends or society dictates.

Keeping your business, your business can help keep your relationship intact. I believe that even keeping it off social media wards off negative vibes from the comments section. Besides you don’t feel the pressure to act for an audience. When y’all going through your lows, you can break up and make up in peace. That also depends if you aren’t sending subliminal post break up messages on your social media. And even if you don’t make up, you can enjoy your ice cream, tequila shots and break up love songs in peace.

The cons however with keeping your relationship on the low is security. Not that you are an insecure human being but there’s always that part that needs reassurance. You want them to claim you, to show some PDA and in a corny way, proclaim their affections for you. When you are keeping things on the low, it means being discreet. It could be an office romance or dating your siblings friend, or one of those OMG scenarios that you don’t want people to find out. Everything you do has to be done quietly and far from the public gaze.

So yeah, I’m absolutely cool with people not sticking their noses in what doesn’t concern them. But how am I supposed to react when he tells me not to be close to him because people will talk? Do you pretend not to feel hurt or slightly rejected when you want to steal a kiss, touch or glance when it’s just the two of you,...in public? Do you flip out if someone else double taps their photos on IG? Are you offended if they are nonchalant about attention that you get from other people?

The challenge with being secret lovers is the fact that you can’t define what you have. You could find yourself overthinking things that people who are public about their relationships, don’t worry about. You are also unable to see tell tale signs of either a healthy or unhealthy relationship. Look, being secret lovers is like a psychiatric patient in a straight jacket and confinement.

"So how do we strike the balance between privacy and security at the same time? "

So how do we strike the balance between privacy and security at the same time? Both partners have to agree on what makes you both feel secure and reassured. Both partners have to be okay with being caught or found out. People will eventually find out either way especially if things are heated up and real. In an African proverb, “What has horns cannot be hidden”, and well secrets come out one way or the other.

It’s a good stance to keep relationships under wraps but it’s better to allow them to evolve and come to the surface.

P.S. : Always write your own love story.

Lady E

Ciao!

Comments

Popular Posts

I'm Ready

Por qué me siento así, mi amor? Lo podemos culpar a Cupido!   Bring on the tissues, and a tub of ice cream, and Amarula cream. Cupid really picked on me and not at the best time. And then 'Stupid Cupid' starts playing. Bonjour single ladies! Forgive me for the dramatic entrance, but I feel like a hopelessly enamoured teenager. Remember  le garçon du chocolat ? Oui. Well, what started off as a crush, has developed into more. Could I be in-love? Umm... But I think that the sparks have fizzled out on his end. Throwing myself on the couch.  Why am I this person, though? Am I setting myself up for possibly another heartbreak after recovering from a not so recent one? Like, le garçon du chocolat lives rent free in my mind, and mostly in my dreams. Am I supposed to feel like this actually? Gosh, I feel so embarrassed with my grown self.   So while, I'm manoeuvring through my emotions, let's talk about starting all over again with a renewed perspective. Gather around ladies,...

Inspired By A Thread

Colour blind is ignorance when all you see is red... ...learn your colours! Oi, you lovely lot! Whaddup, 'ow's it goin'? I’m gettin’ there, innit? Just takin’ me time, you know how it is. A while ago, I scrolled down my timeline, and I came across an interesting thread on X. Actually the responses were wild, but it had me thinking, I would love my readers to share their own experiences. The question was as follows; What was the craziest thing that you've done to investigate a man? Fam, the responses in this thread are worthy of scripts. Don't play with a woman who wants the truth. She has better investigative skills than any intelligence agency. This led me - actually inspired me to share my own personal experiences. My life is so ironical. I like keeping my relationships on the low because my ego can't handle the humiliation if things don't work out. However, drama seems to ensue whenever I decide to allow a male into my space. Of late, I realised that I ...

Script My Life: Bad Hair

My relationship with hair extensions will never be the same! It's spooky season and what a time for all things that make your stomach churn, and eyes pop! For most of this series, I review romantic comedies and dramas. The big screen allows me to live vicariously through stories and characters. I can escape my mundane life and all the imperfections in between. I can be anything that I want, through whichever character that I relate to. Funny enough I love horror and thrillers! I love the adrenalin rush of frightening encounters with the paranormal, or mentally unhinged. Most horrors or thrillers often follow a generic pattern, however there those that take the cup for scares. I will never watch 'The Exorcist' and 'The Nun' again! Apart from being scary, I am not playing with all that supernatural stuff. And here we are, watching Hulu's new flick, 'Bad Hair'. Ever since the trailer, I have been religiously following the interviews. In one interview, the f...

The Case of the Ghost

If you decide to ghost, then stay dead! I'm riled up and thinking WTF? Who the hell does he think he is? Trying to walk out of the tomb like the Messiah! Degage! But I also realised that I wasn't over it. IT! The hurt and humiliation of being ghosted. The humiliation of being relegated to  side  chick.  And the pain of going through loss alone. Who the hell does he think he is ... in my life? After many years, I bumped into him at a recent event. Actually, he called out my name and followed me. I don't know why he thought that he and I were Gucci. For two years, that guy was a poltergeist.He didn't reach out to me to explain his behaviour. He didn't send me a birthday message. No communication. Obviously, out of sight, out of mind.And then he has the nerve to call out my full government name. Honestly, I was inebriated and had no time for his nonsense. But he started saying that he and I needed to talk. He thought that I was his girl. He missed me. I'm literally...

Winter ABC Day 14: 5 Africans Who Inspire Me

I told you that this week is awesome! I love Africa! I love the people even more! I love our diversity in skin tones. I love our various languages that include clicks, coughs and long syllables. Our traditions may differ but they are somewhat intertwined. Africa isn't just the cradle of mankind. It is the stew pot of talent, intelligence and creativity. I procrastinated for a long time about writing about my African inspirations. With this challenge I have the opportunity to take action. My top 5 list includes creatives from various genres of media, arts and entertainment. As a creative myself,  I incline naturally towards those who are like myself. It is true that, 'birds of the same feather, flock together,' and away do I fly with the eagles. Without further due, below are the 5 Africans who inspire me. 1. Bonang Matheba Did you know that Bonang Matheba and I were born a week and a half apart in 1987? Now you know! I live vicariously through queen B!  She is my ...