The month of love has arrived, with its roses and romance, its teddy bears and tin-foil chocolates, its invitation to display more affection to those we care for. It’s easy to dismiss it all as commercial or performative, especially in the grey heart of winter. But this year, I’m choosing to set the cynicism aside. There’s something undeniably wonderful about the collective agreement to soften, to reach out, and to say I care—even if the day itself is entirely arbitrary.
A friend recently shared that she’s learning to welcome romance back into her life. For years, she considered herself above it. She was capable, independent, emotionally grounded. She didn’t need flowers or surprise gifts or candlelit dinners. Love, to her, was built on honesty and mutual respect, not grand gestures or poetic declarations.
But now, she is leaning into the joy of receiving a letter because someone couldn’t help but commit their feelings to paper and ink. She’s embracing the vulnerability of admitting that to be loved out loud is a beautiful and desirable thing. She’s lingering over dinners with friends, rediscovering her city through fresh eyes, and saying yes to the moments that make life feel sweeter, fuller, more alive.
And this is the thing we often forget: romance doesn’t belong to one relationship, one holiday, or one version of love. Romance can exist everywhere.
Going for a walk along the river in the rosy light of the early dawn is romantic. Hearing a street musician getting carried away with a saxophone solo because the music moved them is romantic. Sharing a pastry with a friend and laughing as the sugared crumbs dust both your sleeves is romantic.
We don’t need to wait for someone to sweep in and whisky us off into the sunset (though we won’t turn it down if they do). Romance is bigger than partnerships and physical intimacy. It’s about more than just butterflies and delicious surprises. At its core, romance is a choice, a decision to notice beauty, to seek whimsy, and to let yourself be charmed by the world as it is.
When we allow ourselves to delight in our surroundings and the people we love, life begins to feel richer. Not louder or more dramatic, just deeper. We can infuse each day with a little more magic if we simply change our perspective—even just by a few degrees.
It starts with making a commitment to fall in love. Just a little bit, but every single day. With the baby giggling on your train carriage. With the way the winter branches cradle the curve of the moon. With the steady rhythm of your own breath, reminding you that you are here, alive, and worthy of tenderness.
It builds when you pursue it. When you build a routine for yourself that makes you feel strong, healthy, and whole. When you invite your friends over to paint the walls in your house bright yellow, or when you simply call them because they’re on your mind. When you create space for connection, in every form, to flourish.
And before you know it, you’ll be writing your own love notes on the mirror in your brightest red lipstick and blowing yourself kisses each time you dance by. You’ll smile at strangers nervously clutching fresh bouquets, silently rooting for their joy. You’ll recognize that romance has been there all along, waiting for you to notice.
There is so much beauty to be found in this life. Fall in love with it, all of it.
