Romance

In today's world romance is the expression of love between a couple. In the dictionary it is first described as a narrative or verse that tells about the adventures of knights and other chivalrous heroes. It is funny to me that most men that I know run away from the word romance claiming that it is a woman's realm.

Okay so what is romance to a woman? Is it the flowers and candy or diamond gifts that bring true romance into our lives? I have to admit that those things are nice and certainly can be a part of a romantic gesture. I don't think it is the essence of romance to a woman though.

Flowers or candy given to fulfill a duty cannot possibly be felt as romantic to a lady who is waiting for her man to prove his love through strength, and sacrifice. A lady waits and watches for the signs that she was really the only one on his mind. Are the flowers her favorite color and kind? Has her knight listened to her, learned about her, and loved her with the things that delight her?

A lady's knight must prove that his adventures and exploits (his pleasures and work) are done with her in mind. That proof is romantic to her.

A quick story of my knight fighting the battle to prove his love for me came the week of 9/11. I was in Colorado with my daughter who was expecting our second grandchild very soon. She was on bed rest and so I went to aid her in taking care of our first granddaughter. Our anniversary was four days after that brutal attack. My knight had planned to come for the weekend but with air traffic suspended he thought it would not happen.

The attacks did not stop him though. He braved the fears, the delays and cancelled flights to be with me. Yes, he was a day late, but his arms around me were the ribbon on a romantic gift I will never forget! Romance is an expression of sacrificial and personal love that is meant for only one. Yes, for men it is an adventure and a heroic act. For us women our men become romantic and a man worthy of our attentions by slaying the dragons that stand between him and his love!