I recently had a lot of time to look at an old couple who were obviously in love (stare, really -- I hadn't seen that in quite a while, plus I was bored sitting alone in some waiting room, so I switched to gawker mode). I was amazed by how genuinely they were able to express their love for one another.
Call it old-school, cliché, boring or even outdated, but there's nothing more romantic than expressing love the original way. (And not the digital way.)
Texting is great. It's easy and fast. But texting can't be compared to the feeling of receiving a good ol' love letter or finding a surprise "I love you" note tucked away somewhere around the house or in your pocket. One of those olden-days-style letters that begin with, "I pick my pen from the basket of love..."
I live for that stuff.
Romance is timeless and love can live forever. But there are little things you need to do to keep it alive. To show someone that you really care about them. Things that technology cannot do for you (sadly).
So I wrote this letter for me. To my future husband. This is how I want him to say "I love you" in order to keep the fire burning.
This could also be for you...
Dear Future Husband,
I can't wait to meet you.
I know that ours will be a love story to be envied, because I've waited and prayed fervently for you to be the man of my dreams.
I'm terribly anxious for you to find me. And when you do, I'll be terribly anxious for you to get to know me, especially how I love to be loved.
I'm an old soul. I know that. I love old movies, I go to bed early and I don't quite understand Instagram. I do not totally get Snapchat. Worst of all, Twitter is still a mystery to me.
(I do try, though.)
So maybe that's why I like the idea of old-fashioned romance.
Maybe that's why I find it disrespectful when a guy texts me right after scoring my number, as opposed to calling.
Isn't calling the polite thing to do?
I mean, why would you hustle for my phone number and then not call? And then expect me to reply to your texts? I wonder.
Anyway, everyone seems to be cool with that, but I'm not. Perhaps because I'm an old-fashioned girl.
I pray you're not that type of man. The type that asks for a girl's number and doesn't call when he finally gets it.
In fact, I know you won't be. If you are, we won't wind up getting married.
So I'm quite confident you'll be a gentleman.
That said, there are a few things I hope you will do when we're married.
A few old-fashioned ways in which I want you to be romantic.
They aren't a lot. I'm not one to ask for too much from a man. But if you can, I would like you to do these five things:
1. Wake me up with love songs in the morning.
You mustn't necessarily serenade me, but please, please learn how to sing "Hello" by Lionel Richie. Better yet, play it on a stereo every morning if you can't sing it.
On second thought, just play the song on a stereo. We don't want you ruining it in case it turns out you can't sing.
Let's just make do with the stereo. I'll still love you anyway.
2. Bring me flowers.
Specifically red roses. Red signifies passion. I want us to be passionate about each other from the day we decide to belong together 'til the days when we're old and tired.
Bring me a red rose every now and then so I'll know that passion still burns inside you.
Even if you can't find live roses, I'll take plastic ones. At least that way they'll never die.
3. Feed me. Pamper me.
Every once in a while it'd be nice for you to treat me like a princess. Including breakfast in bed every Sunday morning. Or afternoon. Depending on what time I went to bed the previous night.
You don't even have to make my favorite if you don't know how to. I'll make do with whatever you can cook, because that's what love is about. Compromise.
So you don't have to play the five-star chef role. It's the thought that counts.
You get points for merely trying.
4. Open doors for me.
Please don't wait until the car door is broken or stiff and I really can't open it without hurting my hand before you open it for me. Open it just because I'm your lady and you're my man. It's a sweet way to say you'll catch a grenade for me.
Keep in mind, I don't actually expect you to catch one. Don't be alarmed.
5. Hold my hand in public.
I'm cool with public displays of emotions. What's the point of being happy together if we won't rub it in other couples' faces?
Just because we're married, it doesn't mean you get to be less romantic.
Dear Future Husband, you can see I'm not asking for much.
With love,
Your Equally Romantic Future Wife
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