Creative Romanticism - Azara Feroz Sayed

Do we count these chores as romanticism in our lives - is what I was thinking as I read the article available at http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/02/20/0.real.romance/index.html - excerpt below

But he did teach me how to fly a kite last summer, and sometimes early in the morning I overhear him playing "tea party" with our daughter, and sometimes late at night I overhear him playing "Blackbird" with his guitar. He has genuine integrity, he has serious style, and he's pulled me through more than one bout of the stomach flu. Anybody can sprinkle rose petals across a big brass bed, but only a real man will hold your hair while you're throwing up.

Now, there are those who will say that references to intense nausea don't belong in a column about romance, but I'm thinking maybe it's time we broaden our definition of what constitutes romance. Ask yourself this: When the man you love realizes that half the screws are missing from the Ikea bookcase he's attempting to assemble for you, does he:
(a) Complain bitterly about herring and Volvos -- vowing to forsake all things Swedish for the rest of his natural days?
(b) Leave the shelving in a heap on the living room floor and question your need to read in the first place?
(c) Complete construction using a combination of rubber bands and Krazy Glue while suggesting you fill the thing with pamphlets rather than actual books?

If you answered (c), then, my friend, life is good -- because it means somebody out there loves you enough to try to get your bookcase together. That creative effort is the kind of everyday gesture on which great romances are built.

The article made me think about the stuff that we don't tag as romanticism. I can only thank God for blessing me with Feroz - for his patience with me, while I go thru the process of 'change management' by complaining - adjusting to a smaller kitchen, adjusting to a life without car etc - Thanks to Feroz, our house is a Museum of Creativity - with wall hangings being sticked to curtains instead of walls, lamp shades made of table matt, Flower Vase in a fish tank etc. Feroz's Director brought his kids home to show them creativity at work. Feroz loves to spend time on doing stuff for the house and me watching him go thru the process of creation. That is a $o cost romanticsm with a life long memory value!!

As always, I can never be pleasesd, I wish he would have been interested in tidying/cleaning too - like a software engineer - he likes to work only on development projects :)

Most of our shopping life together has been spent in buying stuff for our house - trying to make it the most wonderful and comfortable place as we can. I am just putting down stuff that we consider as chores and don't count them as romanticism and as the article mentions, 'each day is a valentine's day'

Like the artice mentions about 'learning to fly a kite', In my life with Feroz, I have surparssed the number of 'Firsts' in the few years of my life with him than to those I did till I met him. I was a very timid, non-adventurous person and Feroz worked with me patiently in driving my fears out, stretching my self-imposed ideas of what I cannot do. I owe my physical, mental fitness to his continous gyan on staying fit. His patience in making me understand basic science principles, nature, music, religion, psychology...His biggest gift is, making me be aware of change, taking me thru it and showing me the benefits when crossed over!! Thank You Feroz!!