Give Me That Old School Love

It’s widely recognized why The Notebook remains a beloved romance novel among millennials. Honestly, it’s hard to fault them for that.

I believe I can express the sentiments of many millennial women today: we crave authentic love and companionship, yet we’re inspired by ideals from a bygone age.

A time when gentlemen always held car doors open for their partners. An era when one’s heart remained loyal to just a single person.

An era that consistently filled one’s soul with joy. A time where catching his gaze made you feel cherished, as if he was entranced by you.

I’ve come to realize that the kind of love I seek belongs to a different time.

A time when love letters were crafted by hand, when flowers delivered to your workplace came from the hands of your beloved, not through an app or service.

A reality where love was so robust that the temptation of casual encounters couldn’t easily sway it. A period where love was as dependable as the constellations in the night sky.

I often ponder if technology is the reason so many modern relationships falter. I often question why intimate discussions, which once occurred face-to-face, have transitioned to the digital realm.

Receiving authentic love letters has become a relic of the past.

Clearly, this generation of millennials bears the heaviest burden. They suffer most because they have lost the essence of authentic love.

<pWe’ve exchanged genuine interpersonal exchanges for behind-the-scenes interactions with characters on screens.<pSo, what motivates a millennial man to choose one true partner when he’s bombarded with countless options? Why would a millennial gentleman feel compelled to compliment a woman directly rather than online?<pIt’s easier to do it virtually, flipping through endless photos and profiles. A few casual clicks and keystrokes yield an array of compliments.It appears that bravery comes more easily when shielded by technology.

I have faced the repercussions of dating those in my generation and Generation X. Frequently, these relationships dissolve due to a lack of that ‘something’ integral to true love and gentlemanliness.

Research indicates men typically possess stronger sex drives than women, while women often display superior self-control.

Men often take pride in what they perceive as an inherent ‘animal instinct’ to pursue multiple partners.

Today’s online landscape, filled with its distractions, serves as a ‘go-to’ when relationships hit snags.

Instead of engaging and resolving issues, they retreat to their devices, scrolling through sites showcasing the ideal ‘partner’ without obligations.

He can peruse these websites much like my grandmother examined the Sears Catalog. He merely places his orders for dinner and drinks, like a menu.

Let’s face it: men using dating apps aren’t truly searching for love; they’re on the prowl.

Moreover, the current generation struggles to communicate in real-time, face-to-face. How often do you witness couples engrossed in their phones at a restaurant rather than conversing with one another?

When conflicts arise, it’s all too simple to hide behind a screen and resort to texting or emailing.

I once shared a year with someone who required constant prodding to express feelings. After countless attempts to gauge his thoughts, I received a text stating our relationship was ‘over’.

Behind the convenience of a screen, individuals gain the power to be unfeeling and harsh. In that realm, cowards evade the responsibility of confronting someone’s hurt feelings or anger; they just type, click, and dispatch. Subsequently, they can erase you from their devices and their lives.

For many male millennials, sex has overshadowed love. It seems to have become the primary foundation upon which relationships rest.

Apologies, male millennials, but I’m calling you out!

Is the thrill of wild, passionate sex so imperative that it eclipses compassion and emotional intimacy? The days of nurturing love on emotional and physical levels seem to have faded away.

Now, millennials appear to crave a fully energized, sexually gratifying experience.

I was disregarded like a toy because I wasn’t able to satisfy expectations of wild exploits. It was astonishing. My emotions and desires felt irrelevant. The sole focus seemed to be on fleeting moments of physical intimacy.

Being a good, empathetic, and loving individual was insignificant—what counted was mere minutes of sex, his way. While physical intimacy is undoubtedly vital in relationships, it ought to derive from love, mutual satisfaction, and be something a couple nurtures over time.

Men, contemplate this: as you sit in your easy chair years from now, possibly with gray hair and hearing aids, who will be there to assist you? Will it be the attractive fling from your youth or the person who truly loved and cared for you?

These days, men seem devoid of accountability for the distress they inflict on relationships. I wonder if a complete lack of empathy is hardwired into their existence, for when obstacles arise, the go-to escape seems to be ghosting—evaporating entirely.

Duration of the relationship loses relevance as most millennials adopt this approach. They anticipate perfection, and the moment it fades, they slip away quietly.

Today, the worth of a relationship often hinges on social media validation. The number of ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ often supersedes authentic feelings and connection.

Selfies, enhanced through endless apps, dominate the online landscape.

Real connections are being supplanted by exaggerated perceptions of ourselves and unattainable ideals.

It’s disheartening to witness how frequently we find ourselves fitting into relationship stereotypes defined by social media. Truly, how silly is that?

Since when did the foundation of a relationship necessitate validation from individuals we barely know? I seldom shared my life online, for I savored the special moments and photographs with my significant other privately.

I genuinely detested couples who chronicled every detail of their relationships because those who appeared #SoInLove often faced constant disputes or were prone to infidelity.

No one should ever seek approval on social media, let alone allow that feedback to gauge their relationship’s success!

So for now, until genuine love graces my life, my heart will yearn for that timeless romance. The heartfelt letters and those personally delivered flowers.

I’ll wait. I’ll wait because I am worthy of that epic love tale.