Romantic Everyday Expressions of Love 4

Romantic Escapades

A sure-fire way to bring you and your lover closer is to get involved in an adventure together. There are many companies that offer adventure experiences like white-water rafting, bicycling, or mountain trekking. In addition, many public parks provide opportunities for hiking, canoeing, scuba diving, and many other outdoor adventures. You might not think of these activities as romantic, but remember that togetherness and shared experiences are the basic building blocks of romance. Cuddling around a campfire and roasting marshmal lows, while discussing the past day's canoe trip, is positively romantic. So go ahead and make an adventure for yourself.

What Are You Doing Friday Night?

A little break from the ordinary can be achieved by asking your wife or husband for a date. Many couples express a desire to relive the romance, excitement, and uncertainty of a new encounter. Show up at your house at a designated time, pretending that you don't actually live there. With royal ceremony, pick up your spouse and go out for a date similar to one of your first ones. Relive your early date through role-playing. Reach back and conjure up memories of the time when your love was brand-new.

Another variation on the dating theme is to act as a team to come up with a complete date. So that the responsibility for coming up with a date that is fun for both parties does not fall exclusively on one person, have each partner devise plans for different phases of the evening. For example, you might select a restaurant for dinner, while your partner decides where to go afterward for entertainment. Alternate planning chores until you piece together a full date.

Love Letters

A hand-written, private letter to the one you love has always been one of the most purely romantic gestures. It is sublimely moving to let another person completely permeate your thoughts as you pour your love onto the written page. Take any opportunity you can to send a letter of love, and remember that a letter sent for no occasion at all will make the greatest impact. If you are running low on ideas for romantic expression, remember that analogies are a good way of getting your point across. Use stories (possibly from novels) in your letter that parallel the point you want to make. Other ideas to make your letter interesting include:

Write on scented stationery and seal your letter with a kiss or sealing wax.
Write out your letter in calligraphy.
Record your message on an audiocassette or videotape.
Stuff your letter into a balloon to be blown up or filled with helium.
Write your message of love on a slip of paper and insert it in a fortune cookie.
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Cut a letter into pieces to be reconstructed as a jigsaw puzzle.
Write your message in puzzle form (such as a cryptogram or crossword) with clues for your lover to solve it.
Make a long banner with romantic embellishments and hang it up.
Leave a message on your lover's computer screen. If you can manage to do this at his or her workplace, the gesture will have even greater surprise potential.
Put special things like confetti, small candies, perfume samples, flower petals, or perhaps a small picture in your letter.
Set a message in a bottle afloat in your pool, or in a small lake or pond where you know your lover will find it.

Constellation Concentration

On a clear night, grab a blanket and your sweetheart, and find a good spot to do some stargazing. Bring along some wine and glasses, lie back, and enjoy each other's company. Try using a glow-in-the-dark map of the constellations to find the ones that represent your astrological signs. Or bring along a radio and do a little slow dancing under the stars.

Staying Romantic

Over time, it is easy to become complacent in a relation ship and unimaginitive about your romantic activities. Except on special occasions, you may rarely do anything to spice up your life. To get out of these romantic doldrums, get into the habit of writing down romantic ideas on your calendar or daily planner on random days throughout the year. Even if you just draw a heart on a specific day a few months from now, this can serve as a reminder that you should be setting aside time to romance your mate. When your partner is feeling low, use this as reason to do something cheery or romantic. Do something small, like giving flowers or a card for no reason at all. Or, if you have more time on your hands, do something more elaborate. Anything you do will surely be appreciated and move you in the right direction.

Romantic Strolls

Going for a walk together is one of the simplest ways to be romantic. Whether you plan your outing in advance or do it spontaneously, this quiet time together can be quite precious. So consider your surrounding area and imagine the most serene place to share your romantic fantasies. Go walking near a lake, along a beach, or through a park, historical town, or botanical garden. A simple stroll around your neighborhood is a good choice, too. You might choose to take your walk at sunrise or sunset, under the stars, or in the rain or snow. It doesn't matter where or when you decide to take your walk. The main idea here is to get out and away from the distractions of home life, and to allow yourselves time to dream together.

Guess Who?

Playing the secret admirer for your mate is a great way to raise his or her spirits. This is a simple technique for reminding your partner of how wonderful you think he or she is, and why your love runs so deep. Write anonymous notes to your partner (use a typewriter or try to disguise your handwriting). Have each note express a different reason why your lover makes you smile. And don't just send notes; send flowers, candy, balloons, little volumes of love poetry, or whatever your partner is fond of. When you notice that your mate is about to burst with curiosity, send a note stating that you will be waiting to meet him or her in a particular spot at a specific time. Imagine your lover's delight when you reveal the secret-you!

Romance is Alive and Well

It can be hard to be romantic all the time, but it helps if you get into the habit of reminding yourself why your partner makes you smile. This alone should keep you going, and remind you to make him or her smile. Here are a few ideas to keep you in your lover's thoughts:

Draw a picture and write a love message with water-based markers on the bathroom mirror in the morning.
Sneak into the bathroom while your partner is in the shower and write "I love you" in the mist on the mirror.
Put a message in her makeup case that mentions how beau tiful she is to you, with or without makeup.
If it's winter, you can write a welcome message in the frost or dew of a window or door.
Do one of your partner's daily chores before he or she has a chance to.
If you pass by someone selling flowers, buy some for your mate.
Put a love note in with your partner's lunch, or between the inner and outer caps of a Thermos bottle.
Fill the medicine cabinet with flower petals or candy.
Prepare breakfast in bed every so often.
Place a flower or a love note on your lover's dinner plate or breakfast setting.
Make heart-shaped pancakes instead of round ones, perhaps topped with two or three strawberry halves (sliced from top to bottom so that they too are heart-shaped).
Prepare a relaxing scented bath for your partner.

Final Thoughts on Expressing Your Love Every Day

Romance is not just for special occasions. Once you make the decision to increase the level of romance in your life, you'll find hundreds of possibilities open to you.

All you have to do is get into the habit of thinking, as often as possible, of the reasons you love your partner, and then look for ways to express your feelings. Your romantic gestures can be as simple as a loving word or note or as grand as a surprise vacation-anything that makes your mate feel special and shows how much you care. Once you get into the habit, you'll find yourself waking up each day to a brand-new opportunity for romance.

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