Romance or Love? (Roxann Delaney)

The question has been asked if romance and love are the same or different, so I did a little digging.

According to an article in the online Examiner, this is what was found in an internet dictionary:

Love is:
1. feel tender affection for somebody: to feel tender affection for somebody such as a close relative or friend,    or for something such as a place, an ideal, or an animal 
2. feel desire for somebody: to feel romantic and sexual desire and longing for somebody 
3. like something very much: to like something, or like doing, something very much

Romance is:
1. love affair: a love affair, especially a brief and intense one
2. physical love: sexual love, especially when the other person or the relationship is idealized or when it is exciting and intense 

3. spirit of adventure: a spirit or feeling of adventure, excitement, the potential for heroic achievement, and the exotic

So here's my totally biased opinion.

Romance is the showing of love.  It's a gift given--flowers, candy...a ring!  It might be remembering a special date and celebrating it.  But, more often, it's the small things, such as giving up a favorite movie or TV show.  Fixing breakfast or lunch or dinner.  A note on the mirror or in the pocket.  A hand held, a hug.  Or simply a look.

While it might be true for some that romance...as in a brief and intense love affair...vanishes as love goes on, how does that explain couples who have been together for years, yet still show indications of romance?

What we've done here this month is try to explain and list the ways that love is shown--the romance part of the equation.  Whether we have it right or wrong doesn't matter.  We've done our best to show what we believe is romance.  We won't always agree, but that's okay.

The funny thing is that while doing that bit of research, I've discovered that nobody really seems to know.  Even the experts.  Don't believe me?  Check out this article on Oprah's O Magazine.  And don't miss the comments!