Writing in the Corner

I am a hopeless romantic. I have always, always, since I was a little girl, believed in the fairy tale ending. Now that I’m much closer to 50 than to 40, you’d think that naive idealistic view of love and life would have been completely knocked out of me.

Not even close. And that doesn’t bother me a bit. It’s a point of view that’s worth keeping. I don’t really have to do anything to nurture it, but there are a couple of things that keep it in the forefront of my life perspective.

First there’s music. I think one of the reasons I’m a Springsteen fan is that so much of his music has such a “road romance” feel to it. The trigger for this post was a Springsteen song.

Roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair.
Well the night’s bustin’ open these two lanes can take us anywhere…

When that line starts, my always and only response is to turn the volume up really, really loud, and sing along, and rejoice.

Second, movies. I am a total sucker for romantic comedies and period romances. Last night I watched the BBC’s production of “Persuasion” from 1995. That was the pre-trigger for the post - Anne Eliot lost her love at 19, then recovered it at the the ripe old age of 27. A delightful heroine, a dashing and virile hero, and a happy ending. A beautiful, not hokey, deliriously happy ending. Soul food for the romantic heart.

Third - real life. Damned if I’m not living my own happily ever after! When you hit 30, and your marriage is falling apart, and you have two kids, it’s hard to imagine that “happily ever after” is a possibility. After all, “happily ever after” is for the young and childless. But I’m coming up on 11 years married again, the triumph of hope over experience, and while it’s not perfect (because life isn’t perfect), it’s as happily ever after as life can be.

I think my romantic nature has served me well. It’s pulled me out of cynicism and bitterness. Cynicism and bitterness may be natural consequences of life, but romance is an excellent antidote.