Romance is thinking about your significant other, when you are

O children of the future, listen closely to the words of Nicholas Sparks, a man whose writings capture the essence of love in all its forms, both tender and passionate. He once said, “Romance is thinking about your significant other, when you are supposed to be thinking about something else.” These words, though simple, carry with them a deep and evocative truth about the very nature of romantic love. For to truly love, to be truly romantic, is not merely about grand gestures or poetic words, but about the quiet moments when your heart is taken by someone so completely that even the world around you fades into the background.

Consider, O children, the nature of romance as Sparks speaks of it. Romance is not confined to moments of passion or the exchange of beautiful words alone. It is the soft, quiet space where your mind drifts, without effort, toward thoughts of the one you hold dear. It is a distraction, a sweet surrender of attention, for in those moments, the cares of the world—be they duties or responsibilities—are no match for the presence of your beloved in your heart. Romance, in this sense, is the force that pulls you away from the mundane and centers you on the eternal, the one who has captured your soul.

Think of the legendary love between Abelard and Heloise, whose passion was so intense that it burned beyond reason and circumstance. Though they lived in a time of great political and religious strife, their hearts were so entwined that they thought of each other even in their darkest moments, even when they were separated by the walls of their world. Abelard was a scholar, devoted to his work, and yet his thoughts often strayed to Heloise—his love, his muse. Their letters, filled with longing and devotion, reveal a romance not bound by time or place, but by the very act of thinking about one another, even when the duties of the world beckoned. Their love, though tragic in its end, was a romance defined by thoughts and feelings that transcended reason.

Similarly, Romeo and Juliet, two young souls caught in the web of family and fate, were defined not only by their moments together but by the thoughts of each other that occupied their hearts, even in the midst of their duties and obligations. Romeo, when banished, still found himself thinking of Juliet while away, his thoughts consumed by her even as he tried to grapple with the weight of his exile. Juliet, too, dreamed of Romeo while she was bound by the expectations of her family. Their love was not a momentary affair, but a consuming thought, a constant reminder of the deep connection that called them to one another, even in the face of hardship.

Now, O children, let us reflect on this truth: romance is not a fleeting thing that comes only in bursts of excitement or in carefully planned declarations of affection. Romance is a constant—a thought, a heartbeat that lingers in the mind even when we are engaged in the responsibilities of life. Romance is the quiet comfort that arrives when we find ourselves thinking of the one we love, when we cannot help but smile at the thought of them, when the world outside fades away for just a moment and we are consumed by the love we hold in our hearts. To be in love, to experience romance, is to carry the one you adore with you, in every thought, in every breath, throughout the hours of your day.

Think, too, of the love between Antony and Cleopatra, a love that transcended kingdoms and empires. Despite their vast responsibilities, their thoughts often turned to one another. It is said that Cleopatra would send secret messages to Antony, their love carried in the whispers of ink on paper. Their love was marked by those quiet moments when, though separated by duties and politics, they each thought of the other, their hearts linked by a bond stronger than all the material wealth or power they commanded. Their romance was not defined by grand declarations alone but by the quiet moments in which they thought of each other, when even the most pressing matters could not drive their hearts away from their love.

And so, O children, let the lesson of romance and thoughtfulness guide you. In your relationships, do not wait for the grand gestures alone to express your love. Understand that romance is in the small, quiet moments when your mind drifts toward the one you love. It is in the in-between times, when you are working, studying, or living, but your heart is momentarily taken by a thought of them. Romance is the gentle reminder that love is not confined to specific moments or times, but that it lives in the quiet spaces, the unspoken thoughts, the unnoticed actions that bind two souls together.

Therefore, I charge you, O seekers of truth, to live each day with a heart full of love, a heart that drifts in thought to those you cherish. Let your thoughts be an offering of romance, not confined to days or special moments, but woven throughout your life. In doing so, you will find that romance is not an external force, but a power within you—a constant reminder of the love you carry, always present, always consuming, and always leading you closer to those you hold dear. Let romance be not just a fleeting feeling, but the eternal thought that guides your heart, no matter what else occupies your day.