I saw a movie recently where the girl gives the guy one of those glass paperweights with the figurines inside and you shake it up good, tiny flakes give the impression of a white winter. My sister-in-law whispered in my ear, "That looks so good in the movie, but if someone gave it to you in real life..."
"...I'd throw it on his face, the cheap bastard!" And then we both laughed.
The more we know, the more mature we become, the more difficult to please. Suddenly, my boundary for sappy has gotten sharper. And then, very cruelly, I label the gifter as 'needy' or 'hopeless'. If I was landing at an airport and my friends/family got me flowers, I'd have laughed and teased them for welcoming me like a politician.
It's now so ridiculous to wait until the third date to hold hands, so old-school to be satisfied with just lovelorn looks. He should be ready and romantic and each anniversary demands more and more. A gift after candlelight. And there are two choices for the kind of gift expected--expensive or thoughtfully personalized.
There's multiple factors to this of course, such as, the person and also the thought/intention behind the act. But, for my part, I don't want to be the one ruining a good thing with my stupid notions of should-be. I want the sap back. I want 'corn' and 'cheese' and I want to be able delight in it. And I want to be touched to tears by old-world romance.
Ah, to be young and foolish again! :)
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2 comments:
The sappiness is expected when we're teenagers - where every sugary approach, no matter how ridiculous, would fly. Of course, you're right - with maturity comes the end of all those things.
I personally don't see it as a bad sign. Sure, it does seem like all the magic has disappeared - but there's a lot more to romance than just that. Is it any more meaningful?
This goes back to my views on cloyness, the occasional excess and all that...
Meaningful is controllable: we attach meaning and sentiment to gifts. I look at cloyness as fake, as I'm sure you do too. Its the heartfelt gifts, and tiny elbow-brushing gestures that I've stopped appreciating as much as I would have before I realized the cliche.
And then unfortunately, even the occasional excess isn't good enough until done 'right'; apparently romance has had to move with the times too!
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