Sunday 21 November 2010

Hopeless Romantic

Over the last few months i've seen and heard stories that have restored my faith in the notion of true romance.

As the title states i'm a bit of a hopeless romantic. No matter what's happened in past relationships I still hold on to the fact the romance exists and hasn't died with the older generations.

I'm not talking about beds covered in rose petals and candle lit dinners, all of which are lovely dont get me wrong but it's straight out of the "how to woo a lady" handbook. Yeah I said woo!

I think it's the little things partners do for each other that are the sweetest.
Finding your favourite chocolate in their fridge because they knew it would cheer you up.
Little post it notes on the mirror when they have gone to work.
A planned day of dvd marathons on the sofa with a duvet.
Having your favourtie dinner cooked for you...candles optional.
Letting themselves be dragged to films/gigs/parties that they don't have any interest in, just for you.
It's not about money but little gifts are lovely when least expected, things that have been spotted while out or mentioned in conversation which you later get as a little present shows such thoughtfulness.

I use to absolutely love getting letters from boyfriends, partly because these where long distance relationships so conversation was 80% of what we had. But knowing that someone made the effort to sit down and write something down on paper be it about love or some stupid story they heard, to then get a stamp and walk to a post box when instead they could have just as easily written a quick text or email/facebook message with the same details in.

I use to love making things like scrap books filled with meaningful adventures, events and full of photos. Maybe slushy but effort went into them. Romantic gestures work both ways though, the ladies have got to do their part too. I think there is a lot of pressure on men to be romantic but men deserve to be treated and surprised too...and i'm not just talking sexy lingerie. If there expected to put the effort in then so should the women.

Obviously the big grand gestures are amazing.

I've had a partner who had tattoos representing our relationship and i'm not talking about my name emblazed on their chest. It's such an amazing feeling when someone cares about you that much there willing to have something etched on them forever, the relationship may not have lasted and the tattoos may now be covered with other work but that doesnt change how I felt at the time

Surprises are always lovely. Recently a friends sister got whisked away to Paris on her birthday by her boyfriend. She knew nothing about it. Her boyfriend planned it all and with the help of her sister, packed her stuff, got her to take time off work for a 'birthday meal' and then the day before was handed eurostar tickets. This is what I call romantic. We maybe get one or two big gestures of love in our life time (if where lucky) but when we do...wow.

So here's to a lifetime of small gestures, surprises and hopefully a lovely guy at the end of it.