Do you remember when holding hands was romantic?

Do you remember when holding hands was romantic? When the perfect date consisted of dinner and a movie? The perfect gifts were some sort of chocolate, your favourite flowers or perfume?

Hah! I can see my girlfriends’ expressions already if ever they were to take part in/receive any of those things mentioned. Looks of disappointment; a cynically raised eyebrow or lip; staring into their mate’s eyes searching for any indication that this is some kind of bad joke...

Oh romance! What’s happened to you?

It’s almost as though romance has become something of a religious figure. There are stories written about it suggesting that it did once exist, and there are people today who still diligently believe it is somewhere out there, even though they’ve never seen it or experienced it first-hand.

Well you what? I believe in romance. That’s right. You heard me. I believe.

Perhaps it isn’t as simple anymore as it once was. Perhaps it no longer comes to us in the shape it once did. But that doesn’t mean its dead. What it does mean is that we need to seek out what WE feel is romantic to US. Maybe for some, it’s having their boyfriend loyally sit through your Aunt Edith’s 87th birthday. Maybe for others it’s having your boyfriend take your dogs out for a stroll so that you can put your feet up and relax after a hellish day at the office.

Romance for me? Its still flowers. Roses, even. But not just any roses. The other night, my man came home with a dozen white roses...dried to perfection. I love dried roses. The fact that he bought the bouquet three weeks prior and had them dried by the florist before bringing them home to me...now that is romantic.

Next week: Is latex the new black?