Welcome to the Valentine’s edition of thought of the week. Considering I wrote a post on Friday about why I hate Valentine’s Day, this might come as a surprise to some of you.
Let me explain. I hate the commercialisation of 
Valentine’s Day and I hate the fact that some people think it’s acceptable to make an effort for that one day and that’s it.
I don’t hate love, and I think this quote sums up real love rather than Hallmark love.
My thought of the week is:
“The most romantic love story isn’t Romeo and Juliet who died together…it’s your Grandparents who lived their entire lives together.”
Yes, I pinched the quote off Facebook, but it is a lovely quote, and I believe to be true.
So many people think Romeo and Juliet is the ultimate romance. It was never written as something for your love story to be inspired by. It was written as a tragedy – a tale of how conflict between families ruins lives.
Your grandparents on the other hand (or your elderly neighbours, or the old couple you see walking past your sitting room window hand-in-hand), that’s a real love story.
It might not be all woe betide me, or full of burning passion – it’s more than that. It’s a lifetime of memories. A lifetime of standing together through thick and thing. A lifetime of loving each other for better, for worse.
The relationship that has withstood so many years is a love story everyone should aspire to have. To wake up next to the same person everyday for forty, fifty, even sixty years plus, and still be glad to have them by your side – that’s real love.
So next time you want a romantic love story, don’t reach for Shakespeare, talk to someone who has been there and done it all – together. Ask your grandparents how they met, how they fell in love, about their wedding and some of the trials they have faced. That might just be the most romantic story you will hear.
What do you think? Is standing the test of time more romantic than being led by a burning desire that may have faded had they not died, or will Romeo and Juliet always be your go-to romantic story? Let me know in the comments 🙂
You can find me here: Twitter Facebook Bloglovin Pinterest and Instagram Please do stop by and say hi!
I am so with you on the commercialism and Hallmark day idea that surrounds Valentine’s Day. I don’t actually like it either! However, I do love a lovely sentiment and this is great! Grandparents do often have the best advice and most romantic stories. Thank you for your brilliant hosting last week, I hope I’m up to the job. Have a great week xx
Oh I think you and I are kindred spirits on this Debbie! My quote comes from the same type of mentality and I always hated Romeo and Juliet, even back when I had to read it in the 9th grade for English class. I never understood why that was always seen as the ultimate love story. Blah! You are so right about aspiring to have the love our grandparents have for each other. I haven’t read your anti-love post but now I am going to. I wrote on on Thursday. LOL! I’m going to check it out now. Love your quote of the week! #candidcuddles
I love that our quotes are always so similar, we are definitely kindred spirits. I don’t mind the story, I just hate how it’s viewed as a romance, it’s not romantic, it’s sad that two young lives were lost, hence why it’s a tragedy. Thank you 🙂
So true. The real romance isn’t where you expect to find it
I agree because the real romance often doesn’t tell a dramatic story, because real love is facing the ordinary together and making it extraordinary!
Yes indeed Debbie! This is a real love story. I just left a comment for Michelle along the same lines as what you just said – great minds!! The love we see on tv or read in a book is so far fetched. The love you describe over years is real love. Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks for taking part in the Valentine’s Day Candid Cuddles!! x
TV/movie love is really far fetched, and sets up some unrealistic expectations. Real love stands the test of time through the bad not just the good. Happy Valentine’s Day 🙂 Thanks for hosting x
p.s. I was totally expecting a love bashing quote here after the previous anti valentine’s day post lol x
Lol I have nothing against love, just the over priced or fake kind 😉 x
I’ve never been a fan of Romeo and Juliet. Proof that teenagers have been overly dramatic since the Dark Ages
Haha, good way of looking at it, and scarily true!
Oh yes Debbie! Romeo and Juliet isn’t a love story, but a story of two flippant teenagers who thought the world revolved around them….but enough of me blasting Shakespeare! True love is friendship, and battles, and every day just being the best you can be so you can stay together.
I totally agree with you, I think the literary critics have tried to make it something it’s not! That’s a fab way to word it, and so true 🙂
This was so true for my Grandparents. They reached almost 70 years but my Grandad just passed away before. They had ups and downs and drove each other nuts but the love was so strong! Lovely post #happydays
I love this quote – it’s so very true. True love is about journeying through life together, making memories and navigating the bumps and bends – that intense emotional and passion at the beginning doesn’t last but what replaces it is so much better.
Thank you 🙂 I totally agree – once you get past all the intense stuff and you still want to be together, that’s when you know it’s real!
I agree completely. I’ve never been a fan of any ‘love story’ where the couple meet and fall in love instantly and then all of a sudden they are doing stupid things for each other when in reality they barely know each other. That’s not love that’s just attraction mixed with stupidity. Falling in love is easy, staying in love is the hard bit. #HappyDaysLinky
Yes, it’s so fake and annoying, the whole love at first thing. People always forget the other people they felt that way about before! Definitely harder staying in love than falling!
I love this little quote and it is so true. My Nanny and Grandad were married for so long, I love how they met – my Nanny and her friends sent books to the soldiers during ww2 and wrote their addresses on them so they could exchange letters. My Nan’s book ended up in my Grandad’s hands. How amazing is that. Thanks for linking up to #HappyDaysLinky x
Thank you 🙂 Aww that is such a sweet story, it was definitely meant to be. Thanks for hosting x
So lovely. My grandparents, on both sides, spent their whole lives together (one set are still with us). Sadly the same can’t be said for my parents but I hope that I get to spend my whole life with Mr F.
Thank you for sharing in #HappyDaysLinky x
Thank you 🙂 Mine did too, although both of my granddads have now passed away. I’m sure you will Katy and one day you will be the inspiration for your grandchildren. Thanks for hosting x