Streaks

People speak in Twitter, TikTok, Patwa, Pidgin.

But for a while now, my friends and I have been speaking in Snapchat. By speaking in Snapchat, I mean streaks.

It’s how we check in. How we say “I’m here,” without really saying anything.

It’s how I know Victory did his IT in a lab, that Desola had a beautiful time at Hertitude 2024, that Ify works with the government, and that Alex has either barbed his hair or is getting ready for church.

It became part of my routine, to check their streaks, to send mine back. A quiet way of staying in touch.

And then one day, I stopped checking. Not because I meant to.

Life (read as MTN) just got in the way. I only opened Snapchat to send snaps so the flame wouldn't die. Days, then weeks passed and I still didn't check.

They kept sending theirs. I just wasn’t there to see them.

And when I finally opened the app again to see, the days had piled up, one on top of the other.

I saw their faces. I saw the stories. But it felt too late to ask, “What happened on this day?” or “Why did you look so tired here?”

The moment had passed. And even though the snaps were still there, for me to see, the conversation had paused.

Sometimes, distance begins with delay. I hope you don't delay with checking in and responding to your friends.