Sarah Raplee here. I
write Romantic stories in several sub-genres of Romance.
Today’s Blogversation
is about defining what romance is to you, and sharing what you find romantic.
I think the Wikipedia definition of romance is a little dry,
but on point:
“Romance is an emotional feeling of love for, or a strong
attraction towards another person, and the courtship behaviors undertaken by an
individual to express those overall feelings and resultant emotions.”
To me, romance refers to words and actions that express a
feeling of love, strong attraction and deep connection between two people. It
includes elements of mystery and surprise.
For example, when my husband and I had been dating for a
couple of weeks, he “pinned” me with a child’s Smokey the Bear pin to show he wanted
to date me exclusively. This was special because part of his job as a forestry
firefighter was to visit schools in a Smokey the Bear Costume to give talks
about preventing wildfires (and it expressed his quirky sense of humor).
Simple things like choosing a special gift for your honey,
or writing a love note on an ordinary day, can be very romantic.
What does romance mean to you? What do you find romantic?
13 comments:
My most romantic story turned out to be the inspiration for my short story "Sarah's Ankh" in the anthology "Love and Magick." I was at a social event at a conference I was attending, sitting at a long table with people I knew and some I'd yet to meet. The dark haired, dark eyed man across the table and I had made eye-contact and had smiled but with all the chattering going on, had not spoken a word. As the group broke up, he approached me and said four simple words "I like your ankh." Not the most earthshaking words nor much of a pick-up line but the ankh I was wearing was special as my best friend had brought it back from Egypt for me and this was the first time I'd worn it.
Those simpel four words changed my life in many ways as we ended up having a long into the night conversation, realized we shared many values. I traveled across the country to visit him and he came here to visit me. Life events kept us from making a final commitment and at one point we disappeared from each other's lives and then...
One night when the moon was full, I was out on my back deck. I looked up and asked Grandmother Moon to give me a sign that he was okay.
Two weeks later my email inbox had post from him. He'd been thinking of me and decided to Google me, found my Glasser email address and took a chance. We picked up 40 years later as if there was no time lost in between. Will I move across country? Will he move across country? I don't see that happening for either of us but do we still have a special connection that defies time and space? The simple answer is "yes".
What a beautiful story, Judith. I'm so glad you reconnected. Your first meeting had mystery, strong attraction, surprise - and led to a deep connection. It doesn't get much more romantic than that.
Your reconnecting story was is also full of romance. The mystery inherent in appealing to a Higher Power, the strong attraction and deep connection you share led to you making that appeal and him finding you online, and the surprise of you receiving the email from him.
WOW!!! Thank you for sharing your story. Do you feel maintaining your long distance connection is romantic?
Not really romantic in the normal definition but do I know we love each other, are special to each other and have a strong connection that has withstood thousands of miles and minutes of being apart? Yes, it's like those 40 years of separation never existed. We talk as if we saw each other yesterday when it could be several months since last we talked. So a deep abiding love for sure and for me that can be an integral piece of of romance.
Romance can mean many things, but one that I've noticed is what Judith mentioned in her story, a strong connection to another person that you feel as soon as you get to know them. I don't know if we all have soul mates, but I knew I found mine on my first date with my husband.
Romance to me is my incredibly patient husband who wasn't raised by DIY'ers, helping me who very much was raised by DIY'ers , build a 18' x 10' garden shed, a 12' x 40' sundeck, and a 6' x 10' chicken coop, all without complaining (too much) about skinned knuckles and a sore back. And he says I'm beautiful, even in my ratty, old work clothes, hehe.
Lynn, I don't know why that is - seeing someone and feeling like we've known them forever. I don't discount reincarnation or the concept of soul mates because of that sense of already knowing someone.
Had t laugh, Luanna. Right now to have a tall husband would be a gift as there's some boxes of, I'm fairly sure, newsprint pads I use when teaching, on top of the highest shelf in my basement. Thinking back, that probably happened a few years ago when I had my basement cleaned as in everything wiped down and put back. I don't remember where those were before, but I do know they weren't that high. I've made do until now...but since I don't have that tall husband I just went to Office Depot and purchased another pad to take to the Glasser conference in Seattle/Bellevue this coming week.
I think romance can be something done for another that is on expected. I feel the romance and love every time my husband fills the bird feeder outside my office window. when he plants tomatoes and egg plant in his garden, which he doesn't eat but knows I do. Little things like that are daily reminders of romance, and love.
He knows when I bake his favorite lemon bars, it's for him not me. I try to plan a special birthday for him each year. His favorite was when I surprised him with a ride up the ski lift at Mt. Bacholar, we ate lunch and rode the ski lift back down. He had no idea that's what we were going to do! This year he was too sick from chemo treatments to do anything outride of the house. I baked him his other favorite Peach Cobbler and we rented three movies.
Took us about a month for us.
Your story is a fabulous example of unconditional love. Does he enjoy the fresh eggs?
I agree, Diana - those thoughtful little (and not-so-little) things we do for each other show love and add mystery and surprise to the relationship.
I so agree, that the little gestures that are personal, mean so much more than the typical "dozen red roses" type of gift. What a sweet story. Sarah.
Late to this, but here. Hurricane preparations got in the way. I do believe actions tell you everything you need to know. You can use the "L" word, but if it's not backed up by actions. It's meaningless. I've seen the L word used as a means to control a more insecure person. A lot of spousal abuse is done in the name of "love." I believe in show me don't tell me.
But onto more pleasant memories. I dated a man I met at a college graduation party through the summer of that year, and into the fall. He returned to his Ivy League school to get a Masters, and contacted me 3 years later after he was gainfully employed. Unfortunately, I had met my ex-husband and it was way too late. Thirty plus years later he reconnected with me on Linkedin. We have stayed in touch, but sadly he is in no position to move things further. I heard from him recently on my birthday, using the exact words, he'd used, when he showed up on my parents doorstep thirty something years ago. It took him some effort and many miles to get there. "I'm your birthday present," he'd said. I reminded him of that. Not for the first time he told me "I'm the one that got away." Romantic, yes, and lovely, that thirty plus years later he still thinks of me as his love. But he belongs to another and until that changes, he will just be a happy memory.
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