For his birthday, I went all out. I made small chops, fried chicken, puff puff, bought fruits and drinks as per a baking student then ( all my thousands 😭). I even went to make my hair because I would be meeting his family for the first time. I wanted to look presentable. I wanted to show up properly. In my head, that is what you do when you care about someone.

Now here is the interesting part. Our birthdays are just three days apart. So naturally, I expected at least a fraction of that same energy. Tell me why my guy did not even attempt to match it. Not even close. And truthfully, it was never about the money, ( he didn’t give me any) . It was about intention, thoughtfulness, and feeling seen.

That experience taught me something quietly but clearly. In relationships, you have to pay attention to patterns early. When someone consistently underperforms where you overextend, that gap does not magically close with time. It widens. The imbalance becomes the norm.

So today, beyond the flowers and sweet captions, ask yourself a simple question. Who shows up for you the way you show up for them? Love is sweet, yes, but mutual effort is sweeter. Relationships are not built on vibes alone. They are sustained by reciprocity, and when the energy is not matched, eventually, somebody will get tired.

Wishing all lovebirds, happy Valentine🥂🎉🎊