THE LOVERHOLIC X-RAYS: RELATIONSHIP APPRAISALS

How do you determine if you are fulfilled in a relationship? Do you even evaluate your relationship, or you just let it flow? What standards do you consider when evaluating your relationship? Are you living in denial of the true state of your relationship? How do you decide when to stay or when to move on? Are you wasting your relationship by being in a relationship? These questions may sound a bit too serious but studies show that couples who conduct a regular appraisal of their relationship are far more fulfilled.

Last week I went to see a very good friend of mine. Our previous meeting had being on Valentine’s Day this year and it was quite memorable. She is one of the few women who hold a special place in my heart. And one of the few people who would look me in the eyes and tell me the truth, even when it hurts. Something the loverholic cherishes in his women and in people overall. She is also very caring, intelligent, devoted and full of humour; all being qualities the loverholic admires greatly.

She belonged to the hollandis category of wife material, and by a lot of yards. This is a fact she always takes into account in her relationships. Which is why she became uneasy when she perceived I was taking our relationship for granted. Things have been going up and down lately and she wanted us to meet and appraise the relationship. To be honest, this was the first time I would hear of a relationship appraisal. I was quite familiar with performance appraisals at work but not in relationships.

JESSICA EDIONWELE: KIDNAPPED WITH LOVE

A few days ago a story emerged of a young lady, simply known as Jessica Edionwele, who was declared missing by her family. It turned out she was the daughter of Hon. Joseph Edionwele, representing the good people of Esan Constituency, Edo State at the National Assembly. She was reported to have left Ibadan, for Lagos to board an aircraft to Abuja. A corps member serving in Oyo state, she was said to have landed in Abuja safely but took an airport taxi that disappeared into thin air.

After waiting for their daughter to come back home safely, the family was thrown into pandemonium by nightfall as Jessica was nowhere to be found. So they declared her missing and the search was on for ‘Nigeria’s Sweetheart’. Nigerians all over the world joined her family and friends in fervent prayers for her safe return. Social and mainstream media went agog with the story and her case became a national prayer point.

A FRIEND IN NEED OR A FRIEND INDEED

Every day comes with new opportunities, new challenges, new inspiration and new friends. With the advent of social media, it has become increasingly inevitable to become companionless. 

Every day we meet someone new either via Blackberry Messenger, Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin. Certain folks would add Instagram, Wechat, Facetime, 2go and Badoo to their connection paths. And when you add the female element to mix, it leaves you overwhelmed.

The intriguing part of friendship is that you might not be able to tell the motive of your new acquaintance or the impact they would have in your life. Some friendships are premeditated, others are accidental. Some will aim to improve you while others will come to run you down. 

Some friends are just there for the enjoyment, others will be there even at the most difficult periods. Some will leave you with lasting memories and others leave you with lasting scars. Some would end up as enemies while others will be end up as families.