Balancing Love And "Likes" | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

Balancing Love And "Likes"

A old-school romantic in modern times.

18
Balancing Love And "Likes"
Unsplash

I've been called an old soul more than once, more than a dozen times actually. And what does that mean exactly? Does that mean that I am boring, or that I am actually living my life as an old person might?

I used to joke that I have two settings, a 5-year-old child and a 75-year-old man. Sometimes I am laying on the living room floor coloring or getting excited about how long I can hula hoop for, and other times I am perusing through antique stores, reading Yates and sipping on whiskey straight.

For a long time, throughout high school mostly I pretended that I wasn't the old-soul poetry writing girl I really was. I tried out for cheerleading and tried to get the attention of a football player. I didn't tell people that for fun I wrote. The older I got, the more I turned to my true self, and it certainty didn't hurt when that aforementioned football player told me that writing was kind of sexy.

For me, being an old soul meant simply that I was mature, that I preferred the company of adults to kids my own age most of the time, that I loved searching and holding pieces of treasures that were once held by people in simpler times, that I longed for hand-written letters and that I was undeniably a romantic.

This doesn't mean that I boycotted technology (except for maybe the Kindle) or refused to party in College and drink cheap beer. I did those things, I just didn't enjoy them quite as much as I enjoy cozying up with a glass of red wine and choosing a book off my bookshelf to read.

But romance has always been a struggle. I suppose the term reads differently across people's opinions. Maybe it means going to dinner, or receiving flowers, maybe it is in the small acts like saying I love you or asking how each other's days are. For me, it is all encompassing. If I could go back to the Victorian era and writer letters tied with twine, and secretly hold hands taking a stroll along a crowded beach, I would. And sure, I have had lovely relationships and an even more endearing one now, but it hasn't been simple. I am not simple.

I am the girl that wax seals the letters she sends out. I have four old typewriters in my house. I cry at how beautiful the night sky is when it is lit up with stars. When men, not typically driven by romance, see a girl cry because something is pretty or stunning, they don't really know what to do.

I went out with dates I met on an online app, and receive Facebook notifications on my birthday instead of cards. I've gotten "kissed" by an emoji instead of in person. I've been jealous by the amount of "likes" another woman has. And it is not me.

It makes me sad the lack of communication men and woman have with one another today. I did meet my current boyfriend in a bar, but he talked of Hunter S. Thompson on the night I met him, he picked me up, opened doors, and took me to a lovely dinner for our first date. He compliments my eyes in certain light and wraps me up in the softest blanket when I'm cold. And of course I am not against or opposed to social media, but I make sure to leave handwritten drawings and notes in secret places for him around the house. I buy myself flowers to warm up the ambiance of the kitchen. I keep myself in tune with current events, but love to reach for Edgar Allan Poe or John Keats.

So what does the modern world of love mean for an old soul like me? It is a reminder to not turn my nose up to change, but also to stay rooted to myself. To remain excitable about choosing a new pen, to laugh at home made cards sprinkled with corny puns, to love unconditionally and without boundaries or nuisany surrounding technology.

For you my dear, I will type passionate words on a typewriter and I will take a selfie with you of us as deer on Snapchat.

Just as a 75-year-old man, and a 5-year-old child might do.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

187638
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

13245
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

456622
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25861
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments