Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into

The writer and philosopher Carolyn Gold Heilbrun once declared with luminous clarity: “Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze.” In these words, she captures the essence of how love and imagination transform the mundane into the extraordinary. For life, when stripped bare, is often filled with repetition, labor, and dust—the weary details of existence. Yet romance, like a divine enchantment, casts its glow upon these common things, turning them into something radiant, unforgettable, and sacred.

To speak of dust is to speak of ordinariness. Dust covers every home, every street, every book on the shelf. It is the symbol of the forgotten, the overlooked, the ordinary passing of time. Yet when touched by romance, this dust no longer appears drab, but shimmers with beauty. Romance does not change the world’s substance, but it changes the way we see it. A walk in the rain, a meal of bread and wine, a shared glance—all become extraordinary, because the heart sees them through the lens of love’s glamour.

Consider the story of Abelard and Héloïse, whose love flourished in letters written between cloisters and exile. For them, the “dust” of monastic life—books, study, silence—was transfigured by passion into something golden. The same walls that might have seemed like a prison became, through their romance, a stage for immortal devotion. Their words still shine across centuries, proof that love can turn the most ordinary surroundings into a haze of glory.

Romance also acts as a shield against despair. In times of hardship, when the burdens of life press heavily upon the soul, it is the glamour of love that brings light. During the Great Depression, many couples found joy not in wealth or luxury, but in small acts—dancing in the evening, walking beneath city lights, sharing laughter over meager meals. The dust of poverty was still present, yet romance made it bearable, even beautiful. This is Heilbrun’s wisdom: that romance is not escapism, but transfiguration.

The imagery of a golden haze suggests not only transformation, but a kind of mystery. Romance blurs the sharp edges of life, softens sorrows, and bathes reality in a glow that cannot be explained by reason alone. It is like dawn breaking upon a barren field, revealing colors that were always there but unseen. Through romance, we discover that beauty is not elsewhere, but hidden in the very fabric of our daily lives, waiting to be revealed by love’s touch.

From this, a lesson arises: do not wait for grand occasions or perfect circumstances to seek beauty. Learn to cultivate romance in the everyday. A flower on a kitchen table, a handwritten note, a moment of shared silence—all these are dust transformed into gold. It is not the size of the gesture, but the presence of love, that turns life’s ordinariness into something radiant.

Therefore, let Heilbrun’s words guide you: romance is not an illusion, but a way of seeing. When you love, let your vision be transformed, and when you live, let your ordinary days be bathed in golden light. The dust will always remain, but in your eyes, it may shine like stardust. And in that golden haze, you will find both joy and eternity.