Johnny Cash famously said “Love is a burning thing” ; now, Mr.Cash probably knew a lot more about love than me but that won’t stop me from adding my two cents. As a 17 year old man, who has very little control when it comes to this chemically induced coma of oxytocin we call “love”, I continuously strive for a romantic and passionate persona instead of the typical mind-set of men my age, that involves very little acknowledgement of romance instead chasing wilding to obtain females for the minimum amount of effort.
So…is the enchantment of love cast by romance necessary in our lives? It depends on the individual, in my opinion. Some men and women see no reason for their loved ones to make outlandish antics to display affection and are content with a simple compliment. Some people may wish to be showered with gifts and “symbols” of love, nothing says “I love you” more than an oversized stuffed animal and a box of half-eaten chocolates. But is this showering of gifts necessary for presentation of life? Nope! Apart from being damaging to your personal finances, romantic gestures will do nothing more than leave a smile on someone’s face. However, if you’re a sap like me, well then that’s all you need!
Although nobody has ever died by a stuffed animal landslide, people die regularly through depression and loneliness. Although your loved one, crush, or whatever you wish to call your “partner”, may blush when you perform a romantic gesture, they are not embarrassed instead they are filled with un-equivalent warmth. Romantic gestures allow ill-equipped individuals (verbally that is) express their love for another. Think of a romantic gift on Valentine’s Day, like a box of chocolates. This gift acts as a cloak for love, hinting at its presence but never revealing its full truth.
But is it all about gift giving? Of course not, romance is shown in a multitude of scenarios. Candle lit dinners, stargazing or simply sitting together watching friends eating pineapple! A commonly misunderstood aspect of romance is that it must be a gift or this sort of personal sacrifice to display affection. The importance of romance is the “I hope you know now I love you...” , not the common misconception of “Look, I did this for you, I hope you love me now…”. If we look back to the beginning of romance, we see a knight in shining armour that would compete for the love of the fair maiden. Pushing himself to his limit, battling against others that strive for the same love. In the modern day we don’t swing swords or joust for the love of another. Instead we display a sign of love not for recognition but because it feels necessary. The most battling we must do is with ourselves, questioning how one human can love another so much and how does one display such unconditional love? Romance holds the answer.
We all wish for those big romantic gestures, but, as Archimedes said “Love is a theorem that needs to be proven everyday” So spread love, both romantically and brotherly, it can do no harm….Remember, it’s a “Burning thing”… keep it lighting!