The Changing Ways of Romance by Bea Tifton

 

Ah, Valentine’s Day. The day we show our love with chocolate, flowers, dinners out, or merely a greeting card.

Thinking about Valentine’s Day made me think of something else. No, not about how chocolate is 50% off the day after Valentine’s Day. I thought about the way romance has changed since I was young and idealistic.

My college roommate was a very interesting person, artistic, creative, and funny. And our coed dorm (different floors with opposite sex curfews) was chock full of handsome young men. One particular guy caught her eye and she decided to take a chance. She began writing Secret Admirer notes. Each note had a small clue. I delivered some of them myself. I must have been spotted because young Prince Charming and his roommate started watching us in the dining hall. (One of the clues was about a food she liked to eat.) When she did deliver the note telling him who she was, alas, Prince Charming turned out to be a frog. He told her in person, at least, but he  told her he wasn’t interested. She was mortified and broken hearted, but I admired her chutzpah.

                                                                                                                                                                

Think about that now. First of all, who hand writes letters today? But picture it. Someone begins receiving cryptic, chatty notes from an unknown person. They continue and her trepidation grows. She finally calls the police to report that she has a stalker. Fingerprints are lifted from the notes. Stakeouts are organized to watch the house. Arrests are made. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a sad ending to unrequited love. 

I know a couple who are very much in love. But Cupid can be tricky. The man loves to say that he had to convince his now wife because she wasn’t interested at first. He followed her around, chattering away. She said no, but he persisted. Finally she agreed to go out with him. Now they walk side by side, hand in hand. They are still absolutely besotted with each other to this day and they have two grown children.

Today a woman would report that man for harassing her. Reports would be taken. Protection orders would be instigated. Arrests would be made. Another potential for romance, foiled.

My tongue in cheek blog isn’t minimizing real stalking or sexual harassment. I’m just reflecting on our changing society. True stalking and harassing shouldn’t  be tolerated by law enforcement or by anyone for that matter.

 But picture someone with no ill intent. Sometimes, it’s some poor Joe or Jolene who received one of Cupid’s arrows and genuinely wants to make a gesture, a hope, a stab at winning their true love. I’d like to think that maybe, just maybe, there are still some happy endings in those instances, don’t you?

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Chocolate-is-Half-Off Day for the day after V Day. 

Pexels.com Photo Credits:
Karolina Grabowska "Pralines and a Gift for Valentine's Day"
Anastasiya Vragova "Smiling Barefooted Lady Writing Thoughts on Paper at Home"
Kindel Media "A Police Writing on a Paper"
Maksim Goncharenok "A Couple Writing on the Beach
Misha Earl "Bride and Groom Standing Next to Each Other"
alleksana "Happy Valentine's Day on Pink Surface"