Things of Romance

I am a hopeless romantic. I love all things love-y. Stories, songs, poems–heck–chocolate! Valentines day is a wonder and bane to me. I love seeing people’s gestures of love toward one another. I also find myself blissfully single on this day most years. (This is not a problem by any means, but Valentines day makes you very uncomfortably aware of this fact.)
So I’ve compiled some things I think express love in either big ways or small. Please enjoy and get excited for Valentines day as you think of how to express love to those around you, romantic or no.

• Run Away With Me–Kerrigan-Lowdermilk (Performed by Jeremy Jordan): I think this song is so lovely. I have always been enchanted by the thought of running away into the sunset and I think the lyrics capture that whistfulness and the romance of such a notion. I have been really impressed by these writers and Jeremy’s performance is not to shabby either.

• Ann Voskamp on ‘Boring Men’: This blog post was such a lovely picture of what marriage is. I was really convicted by her words and I’m not even married, so I think that says something. Give it a read through. I know you’ll enjoy it.

• About Time: I saw this movie with friends recently and really really enjoyed it. It was a wonderful “chick-flick” but from a guys perspective and had a sweet and romantic take on life and marriage and family. I really enjoyed it. If you’re looking for a date movie, I’d recommend this one. It may not be in theaters anymore… hmm… that would be unfortunate. But if it is, go see it!

• Ella Enchanted–Gail Carson Levine: This children’s novel is one of my favorite books ever–always in my top five, at least. It’s wonderfully written and has been the backbone of my inspiration to write and read and just be as a human being. (Like really. Books we love as children tend to have a great impact on our adult life… though I suppose that’s another post of another day…) It’s short and fast-paced and is seriously the first thing I ever thought of as truly romantic. You’ll know the scene when you get to it. Trust me on this one. (And NO, watching the movie does not count. the move is an abomination and should not bare the same title or any affiliation to such a marvelous book!… There, now I’ll get off my soapbox.)

• The Lizzie Bennett Diaries: Pride and Prejudice is–without question–a great love story. And I love a creative retelling of almost any sort. Hank Green of VlogBrothers fame partnered with Bernie Su to create the Lizzie Bennett Diaries,a clever retelling of Jane Austen’s best known work. This is an adequate way to spend Singleness Awareness Day. Be warned though, the entire series can be watched in a night, but it’s seven hours total. Worth it though. Definitely worth it.