Living Romantically

♫Here, There, and Everywhere♫

"When it comes to living romantically, one shouldn't follow a road map either -- it's something you should discover through contemplation and intuition."  

-Winston Churchill

Being Valentine's Day I thought I'd explore the topic of what it means to be a Romantic.  Below are some thoughts I've collected from Shannon Ables' website The Simply Luxurious Life :

❤️Historically accurate definition of the term Romantic:  A life philosophy that prizes the rejection of pure rationalism in favor of intuition, imagination, and emotion; the embrace of nonconformity and sincerity; a tendency towards nostalgia.

❤️If you've ever had hope that something would work out against all odds that it most likely wouldn't, you have inside you an innate Romantic tendency.  Whether this was instilled by the books you've read, the films you've seen or your very own imagination, you have within you a Romantic spirit that is waiting to be acknowledged and granted permission to come alive. 

 ❤️A Romantic doesn't accept that life as one grows older must be a certain way.  Rather a Romantic is constantly questioning, exploring.  In other words they are perpetually curious.

❤️A Romantic is someone who dares to step inside themselves, listen and acknowledge what is being said.  What calls you, what makes you want to dance?  What tickles your curiosities, what causes you to lose all track of time?  

About that last one Shannon asks, "Why aren't you pursuing each and every one of these activities?"  She does weekly podcasts and has written two books on the subject.  I'm not sure why I tune in because she has never married, lives alone, doesn't want children (she has two dogs), is career-oriented, and young--none of which applies to me.  I can only think it is because she is a Romantic at heart and that I CAN identify with.   

                       
If this topic appeals to you, then you may want to listen to her podcast entitled "Why Not....Be a Romantic?"  At that link, you can also read the transcript if you prefer.

When I was a teenager I expressed my romanticism through my poetry.  I wrote this poem in 11th grade while watching a film about Robert Frost:

As I was walking through the wood one day

And spied a tall tree that despite the wind did not sway

I thought for a moment and began to look about

For my mind was dreaming and started on it’s own route.

Misty and a dull sort of gleam

Flowed through my mind on a pearly stream

Round and round went all the clouds

Before me appeared many living shrouds.

Up and down I began to walk

And engaged myself in a friendly talk

The grassy earth beneath my feet

Carried me onward until a bird I did meet.

I greeted the bird who was quite charming

But flew from me feeling somewhat alarming

I stood in dismay and began to wonder

When out of the skies came a boisterous thunder.

The noise entwined my head with grief

But the torment was only brief

When at last came a flowing breeze

Across my face and through the leaves.

My nostrils caught a scent of green

When my eyes revealed a sight I’d never seen

A bubbling and shining of billowy foam

Flowing forth from a fountain head dome.

I was walking through the wood one day

And spied a tall tree that despite the wind did not sway

I thought for a moment and began to look about

For my mind was dreaming and started on it’s own route.

Once I had my own home I expressed my romantic side through my home.  For me romantic is synonymous with cozy which translates into a log fire in the fireplace. . . .

Lace curtains hung from a canopy bed and floral fabrics. . . .

Candlelit dinners. . . .

Cottage flowers and picket fences in my garden. . . .

Whimsical fairie gardens. . . .

When we vacation I always choose romantic locations!  Like barefoot walks along the beach. . . .

Rooms with romantic decor. . . .

Walks with bluebells and moss. . . .

Lanes lined with stone walls and hedgerows. . . .

Views of a quintessential English village from my room in a quaint, ancient Inn. . . .

And cozy cabins in the snow. . . .

Do you have particular areas, like me, in which you express your romantic side?  Besides the above, I try to purchase romantic-looking clothing when I can find it.  I only go to restaurants for their romantic settings and not their food.  I prefer books, films, art set in romantic settings.  Hmmm, I think I'm more of a Romantic than I realized! ❤️What about you?  Are you a Romantic?

So, what are your answers to Shannon's questions?

❤️What calls you, what makes you want to dance?

❤️What tickles your curiosity?

❤️ What causes you to lose all track of time?

If you aren't doing any or all of these things, why not?


Another way to ask the question is What is the song of your heart?

                    

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️