romance: is it vital?

"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one’s life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one’s side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music; perhaps . . . perhaps . . . love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath.”

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

What does this picture do to you, as a girl? Does it make you sigh, "aww! How cute!" Does it make you smile, just looking at this happy couple in love?

..Does it make you a just a little jealous?

Let's get honest here, girls. We are all looking at that picture and smiling and sighing and thinking how wonderful it is that this man and woman have eachother, but we are also thinking, somewhere deep down in our heart of hearts, "Someday that will be me. Someday, I will have my own romance, full of secret sighs and blushes and stares and tender looks."

..Because we all know what romance is, right?

ro·mance (r-mns, rmns)

n.

1.

a. A love affair.

b. Ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people; love.

c. A strong, sometimes short-lived attachment, fascination, or enthusiasm for something.

...etc. :)

..Yeah, of course. We're girls. A.k.a., romance-is-my-middle-name-if-not-my-first  's. :) The ones who devour a good romance like it's candy, cry when fictional couples are separated, matchmake for our friends in secret, and are in absolute bliss when hearing someone's courtship story.

Yup. I'm pretty sure we understand romance. And we all need it to live. Hands down. :]

..Or do we?

Okay, I'll admit it: I totally want someone, someday, who gives me flowers and tells me I'm beautiful in the rain. I want someone who sweeps me off my feet, gives me cute looks and holds my hand even when I'm old and gray.

But..is that really what "romance" is? To the average girl, yes. And to me, yes. At least, it's the sugar-coating; the pretty packaging and lovely accesories that make every love story and marriage beautiful.

But true romance?

I think there is a lot more to it than what fairy tales and Beverly Lewis tell you. I mean, God made love. God made romance. God made marriage. Seeing a pattern here? What if that amazing guy in my future is only an instrument for the life plan God has for me--a picture of His unfathonable love while being my Hero at the same time?

..Or what if there never is an "amazing guy?" What if...
*gasp*
 ...romance isn't in my future? 

We need to wait on His will for our lives, but we don't have to wait for romance to be happy. I'm writing this post to encourage you, ladies, to not get caught up in thinking love is all glitter and goo (wow, romantic way to put it, eh?).

I have spent so much of my "coming-into-womanhood" looking at pictures like this:



..and sighing wistfully. Saying outwardly, "Oh, I'm keeping myself pure and waiting for my Prince, saving my heart and everything I have only for him.." (okay, maybe not quite like that..;) , but inwardly forgetting that I don't need man-romance to make me happy.

I need God-romance first. Anything else He chooses to give me comes second.

Oh, Lord, why did you make girls so...romantic?