The content explores the themes of romance and its evolution through various life stages, emphasizing the transition from adolescence to adulthood. A young couple in a romantic setting symbolizes the carefree nature of young love, while an old man reflects on his own past experiences. The narrative highlights the fleeting nature of infatuations and the complexities of romantic relationships, noting that genuine romance requires understanding and emotional depth. It warns against superficial expressions of love that can lead to disillusionment. Ultimately, the text advocates for prudence and care in nurturing romantic feelings, suggesting that true romance transcends mere physical attraction.
Beautiful lake
It was a secluded place in a thick verdurous spot on the bank of a natural lake. The moist easterlies made the ambience cool and romantic. The azure sky with patches of thick clouds looked beautiful. There was none around but a young couple, sitting on an iron bench; they were enjoying nature while conversing. Oblivious about their surroundings, both were engrossed in themselves.
Young flame
While conversing, the boy would whirl a keychain that he had with him. Their bicycles were parked near their bench. It was a pleasant and romantic time of the day, and both were conversing softly. In their twenties, they attired casually and decently. Sitting in a romantic setting, they were enjoying each other’s company, forgetting ancillary things. Crossing the transition phase of their life, they were now in a phase when the blooming youth feel magnetic attraction towards the other sex. For them, any slight hindrance or impediment and rebelling against set norms is their right. It is a phase of life.
Phases of life
The life of an individual passes through many phases. From animals to humans, it is common to all. Humans, nonetheless, possess well-developed brains and cognitive abilities, can express and feel better than other animals. One such phase is adolescence.
Transition period
As children grow, biological changes start taking place. It is natural and caused by hormonal activities in the body. Some aliens, changes unknown to them until recently, start developing. It is the stage of puberty. The soft feelings, attraction towards the other sex, and change in physical features are normal. It flourishes in a congenial environment. It is the most vulnerable stage when the budding youngsters must be closely observed.
Romance and Attraction
Attraction towards each other is because of biological and morphological changes, and the secretion of mood-enhancing chemicals in the body. It is the stage when the body is at its best in every possible aspect – physical, mental, emotional and social. Brimming with enthusiasm and zeal, they try to achieve everything that attracts them. Romance is one of the most intense and steadfast emotions.
The flashback
A lone old man, sitting a few yards away from the youths, was looking at them. Seated on a boulder, the septuagenarian was thinking about the time when he was like them. A wisp of cool easterly caressed his body, his hair tousled. Flashback appeared…
classroom
A lone teen sat on the bench of his class when a gang of a few girl classmates entered and approached his seat. They started teasing him while sitting beside him. Girls liked his company, cut jokes with him and often teased. He used to feel embarrassed but at the same time felt good too. Similarly, the neighbourhood girls would engage with him in discussions about their course topics, exchanging diagrams and sometimes sharing notes for their preparation. It was all. There was no further going. Later, he was shifted to a new place with his parents.
New city
The new place was comparatively big, orderly and clean. He was happy that they were living in a city he longed to be in. He went to the old city for some official work but did not visit the place where he used to live. The images of people, girls and the ambience were clear, but because of the dearth of time, he did not visit the place.
Over time, old images faded away, until there was a day when they no longer troubled him. It became a relic of the past, occasionally resurfacing when he sat alone. They vanished with the swiftness with which they arrived.
Romance in new phase
Soon, he adapted to the new way of life and the city. He started going to school, passed the examinations. A phase was to come when interaction with girls of his age was going to become frequent, and it came. Gradually, the phase entered his life on tip toes. He was in the bracket of those described above. The interaction used to be dreamy, romantic and to some extent sensational. Since the beginning, he used to be a timid boy who preferred to stay aloof. His classmates, especially the girls, would tease him. His mind never went to the other side. They were his friends and helped him to a great extent.
Interaction
Pushed by financial constraints, he started home tuition. This exposed him to a comparatively broader horizon. He noticed that the girls in the households were eager to talk to him. While he taught, they would come and sit in the room and occasionally talk to him. It started from a brief and crisp dialogue exchange and became more informal and sometimes intimate. It soon ended.
Infatuation not Romance
Later in life, as he grew and gained some practical experience, he realised that this was all an infatuation. Life is not like this. The reality is harsh, and these things play a petty role in shaping life. Soon, a point came when a girl showed interest in talking to him and wanted to spend time. Still, he did not realise it. He used to talk to her like a friend.
Realisation of romance
Soon, a time came when a girl came into his life. After the first exchange of small sentences, both started talking to each other. It gained momentum, and frequent meetings followed by daily meetings became a routine. They would meet each other and talk casually on almost every topic. The girl was sensitive, intelligent and probably accommodating. They would meet, visit parks, sit beneath a shaded tree and talk endlessly. He couldn’t decipher the type of equation they shared, but both felt joyful when they met. They spent a very good time together. Lately, they realised that it was romance, but by that time it was too late. They had to part as he was to join a job in yet another city.
Continued interactions
The time passed. He was in a job and was posted to another place. The correspondence continued. They wrote to each other regularly, sharing their feelings and discussing future plans. Both were ready to grow old together. When this came to their mind was unknown to them. It was not spontaneous, though. It developed over time through the interactions they shared.
Unexpected arrived
Life is not a preplanned affair. Things unfold strangely. Prediction is nearly impossible. The regular correspondence started staggering. Small gaps were followed by large intervals. The telephone was then expensive and uncommon. The letter was the only convenient way to connect, and this too was becoming obscure. He sensed something unexpected, and the unexpected arrived soon.
After a long gap, he received a letter from her. She expressed her inability to continue. The episode ended abruptly.
Utopia
Romance is a utopian feeling. It does not allow us to think about reality. A romantic person always tries to live in a utopian world full of rosy things. Romantic novels, sad songs, and films try to capitalise on this feeling. They exploit human sentiments. Stories of Heer-Ranjha, Laila-Majnu and Romeo-Juliet glorify the plight of romanticism. It is, nevertheless, incomplete.
Ludicrous show of romance
The modern world is open, and talking about love, sex, and deceit is common. They make it a point of public joke and ludicrously talk about how they were born. It is rather shameful that society is accepting it. Young flames, uncaring about decency, sitting in compromising positions, exhibiting their “love” in public places like parks and monuments, is becoming a normal practice. It is not romance or love. The preposterous sybaritism should be stopped. (mentalhealthsig)
Romance and romanticism
A romantic person loves orderly things, nature and its activities. He does not go for sensual pleasure but loves everything beautiful from the inside. So, romance, as is seen in a ludicrous exhibition, is a lurid show of sensualism. More often than not, love that ends up in a nuptial bond slips into the den of quarrels, abusive relationships and frustration. Romance is a profound emotion that embraces a person or thing in its entirety. Openness and deep understanding in a relationship lead to a blissful life, while sensual pleasure is momentary and unstable, which leads to doom. Romance, when mixed with prudence, is good, but it is unpalatable when used for a selfish end.
The application of prudence is desirable in romance. It needs to be tackled with a high degree of patience, self-restraint and a lot of understanding of accommodating things. Romance blooms when nourished with love and care.
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Kamal Kishore Srivastava
A retired government officer turned writer and photographer, Kamal Kishore Srivastava is a regular blogger and essayist who explores life’s deeper meanings through immersive reflections on nature, impermanence, and happiness. On his blog Nature’s Narrative, he blends philosophical storytelling with practical insights. Writing 1,200–1,500 words or more regularly, Kamal is committed to refining his craft, expanding his audience, and building a sustainable space where thought and feeling intersect.
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