In need of some romance

Cover of The Family Man

“Where’s the romance? “Where’s the joie de vivre?” Neighbor Arnie to Jack in Family Man.

One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite Christmas movies – Family Man with Nicholas Cage. Who would have thought a Christmas movie could be so romantic?

Based on an idea that we missed something or someone, the movie shows us what would it be like to go back and change the outcome of your life. In Nick Cage‘s life, after a widely successful New York City single life, he woke up one day to find he was married to his childhood sweetheart. And he had two kids. And he was a blue-collar working man living in New Jersey for his father-in-law, no less. Cage and his “wife” have fallen into what he thinks is a boring routine. That is until he has the chance to really embrace it.

Dating is fun but stressful. Marriage is wonderful, but stressful. Babies are beautiful, but… yes, you guessed it – stressful. Where does the romance go or is it there all along and we don’t see it? I remember how exciting it was to find a babysitter and be able to enjoy a wonderful meal with my husband. Alone. With candles. And I didn’t have to cut his food. Or pour another glass of milk because someone spilled theirs on the table. And actually finish my meal. Now THAT was romantic!

I remember as the kids started leaving home for college. I almost felt as though we (my husband and I) had made it through some rough gauntlet and came out the other end relatively unscathed. It was almost like starting all over again.

I think women never tire of the surprise bouquet of flowers just because she felt he said something insensitive (he probably didn’t think it was, but she did and that was all that mattered – Romantic).

Other little things are extremely romantic. Watching your mate give your dog a bath (for some reason I think this is sexy and romantic) or when he hands you Kleenex after Kleenex and listens (really listens) to you as you relate some minor incident in your life that has, at that moment, devastated you. Romantic.

“We women are funny that way” Erica to Harry in Somethings Got to Give when explaining why woman want it all when it comes to romance.

Flowers? Yup, I’ll take ’em anyway they come. It doesn’t have to be roses. In fact, I’m more partial to daisies anyway.