Webster may be an elite source for defining terms, but when it comes to romance, the dictionary fails to touch the true meaning. Under the Webster cynicism, romance is defined as "a tale of chivalry...with scenes remote from ordinary life; a love affair, event, or atmosphere suggesting it; sympathetic imagination; exaggerations; & picturesque falsehood." Under those phrases, romance seems like an unobtainable fantasy.
Gregory J.P. Godek, author of many best-selling books on the topic, re-defines romance in a more 90's, realist fashion. " Romance is a state of mind. With the right mindset, you can make cleaning the bathroom romantic; if you have the wrong mindset, you can turn a moonlit stroll on the beach into a fight." Mr. Godek, in his introduction to 1001 Ways to be Romantic , further terms two types of romance: obligatory and optional. Obligatory romance centers on celebrating assumed events. Examples include giving a birthday gift, flowers for Valentine's Day, etc. The focus of optional romance, however, is on creating the added, day-to-day surprises. These are the "just because gifts" such as giving massages or writing love letters.
Both romance types are important, but the latter is the more genuine version of true, classic romance. It's what we crave until we experience--then treasure when we find it. True romance lies within and emerges when love is unconditional. It is an unconscious motion, an unrehearsed affirmation, a way of relating to feeling simply because you are feeling. Though its interpretation will always be personal, romance IS obtainable & can thrive within every soul.
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****Order 1001 Ways to be Romantic from my bookstore!
~Michele
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