Online Dating and Finding Love - Ochi 19

“I was ready to find the love of my life.”

If you ask me why I decided to try online dating, my relationships were not working. I might have a better chance with someone I met online because I had terrible luck with this relationship with the ladies around my area. There are so many dating applications, but I opted for one of the popular ones and signed up; I was ready to find the love of my life.

The ease of finding love

It did not take long before I got notified that several people were a match, meaning they saw my profile and were interested in me. This felt so much easier than me struggling to find love with people I met in person. I went through every notification to see who was interested in me, and I took my time to select the one I thought was the best fit. Her name was Jasmine, and she was beautiful in the picture she had posted. I sent her a message, and she replied immediately. She said that she felt love at first sight when she saw my view and would like to get to know me. This was precisely what I was looking for, and I was pleased that we were on the same page; two people looking for a serious relationship. We both agreed it would be better to talk off the dating app, so we exchanged phone numbers and started communicating on call and WhatsApp. Things were fantastic; we discussed everything from our past to our future, and I finally wanted to meet her in person.

Things get confusing.

The conversation of meeting in person was always met with resistance and excuses. If it were not that she was working, she would have travelled somewhere far like Mombasa or to the village to visit her grandparents. All this while, she asked me for financial help, and even though I was not quite well off, I sent her whatever I could. Sometimes she pressured me to send the money, and if I said I couldn’t, she said it was proof that I did not love her as I had professed. I asked where she lived so we would meet physically, and she agreed. She did not live too far away, and I set out to visit her. 

I got played

I reached where my online love had directed me and knocked on the door, only to find a woman in her mid-thirties. When I requested to see Jasmine, she mentioned that no one by that name lived in that house or building. When I called her, her phone was off, and she had blocked me from accessing her online profile. I was devastated because I believed we were in love, but I got played. I was foolish and used by a stranger for money, and I thought it was love. 

Recovery

Going back home that day was hard, and it took me many months to recover, but I did eventually. I learnt to be patient when it comes to love and to take time before fully trusting a person so I don’t get played again. I continued going about my daily business until one day, the pain of heartbreak I felt had disappeared, and I was happy.