Romance Awareness Month
So August is romance awareness month and I've been paying homage to the month over on Instagram.
Granted, I had never heard of this, but when it came to my attention I thought it was pretty cool. I'm all for positive things. I get tired of seeing all of the negativity about relationships, and want to feed the good vibes.
(Note that these personal stories are going to be from the past. LOL)
I think romance is an integral part of a relationship. Studies have shown that romance is an essential element needed for building emotional attachment in a relationship. There are a number of reasons why this is true and they deal with the five senses, hormones, and chemical balance of the brain. (Check out the blog's Instagram for more details.)
Romance isn't generic, it takes studying the person you're with, not just grabbing a gift or dining at a fancy restaurant every once in awhile.
Romance is about attention, awareness and effort. I am a cheap date (at least I think I am). One of my favorite dates I used to go on in college never cost the guy I was seeing much of anything. (To this day, he is one of the most romantic guys I've ever gone out with...and the tallest...he was almost a full foot taller than me and I am 5'9".)
Anyway, our most romantic dates always consisted of him picking me up, handing me a single rose, picking up food on the way to his mom's NC house, and we would just sit by the fireplace talking and listening to music.
That was it. That's all...nothing extra...just sweet, close and attentive. He always had the specific kind of music I liked and didn't bug out about my love of classical music.
He paid attention. Our first date was an all day event...and I still remember it. He paid attention to our conversations leading up to the date and incorporated everything I enjoyed...even ordering my then favorite meal at the first restaurant we hit up for lunch.
The vibe was so strong between us that we connected and spent the whole first date holding hands. (That did not play out well when we ran into a chick he was apparently still dating too! 👀. I didn't say he was Prince Charming...I said he was romantic. 😂😂😂 I didn't trip because I was still seeing other people. Neither of us were committed.😏)
I find random things romantic. Like another guy I dated, in law school, coming from across town in an ice storm to bring me pizza and drive my car to put gas in it.
(I know dudes are reading this like..but what about us? Why can't we get some of this romance?!)
I believe romance should be a two way street. Romance helps build emotional attachments...it is a power tool. I'm combing through my brain trying to think of times I have been the romantic one.
It's funny that the memory that popped up was this:
Keep in mind, I am an attorney with that whole "professional sista" thing going. So I dated this guy once, years ago (who may actually read this lol), who had a head full of curly hair. I used to sit and braid his hair (yeah like that Mario song.)
Hair braiding is a bonding experience. I think my intricately placing designs in his hair while we talked about life was very romantic.
You would have to ask him though because romance, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. (Pssst...guys, many of us ladies find it very romantic when we get our hair washed by our guy.)
I've done other things from cooking favorite meals to special just because "everything you like" gifts...amongst other things.
How have you been romanced? How have you romanced someone else?
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