Romance is Not Dead

Vive ut vivas

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts." — William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”

Have you noticed how many very different meanings the word, “romance,” has? The most obvious one relates to an intense feeling of attraction or love between two people, but then there’s the wholly different definition, far more sober and banal, describing languages derived from Latin (i.e, “Roman”). But despite my own admiration for Cupid’s quiver, and having once been named, “Latin Student of the Year” (I peaked early), my favorite definition of romance relates to how I’ve lived my life as long as I can remember. 

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, this version of romance means, “a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.” In other words, to a true “romantic,” any experience, object, or place can be imbued with a layer of “specialness” or magic. For example, a simple errand, piece of clothing, or activity transcends the ordinary when seen through this lens. Is it any wonder I’m a writer of adventure thrillers who owns two old Land Rovers and wears mechanical wristwatches? Grocery runs become adventures, timed on a 70-year old Breitling chronograph, and often accessorized with an appropriate head- or footwear. You may roll your eyes or call me an out of touch dreamer, but I’ve learned to lean into it and it’s served me well so far.