“I wonder if you’re too idealistic?”
That’s what he said to me. Which led to the thought of being
romantic, and so on to the phrase “hopelessly
romantic.” Now I bring this jungle of thought to your attention for Christians
in general.
Well, what
does “romantic” mean? Google defines it as:
ro·man·tic rōˈmantik,rə-/ adjective
1. inclined toward or suggestive of the
feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love…relating to love, esp.
in a sentimental or idealized way.
2. of, characterized by, or suggestive of an
idealized view of reality
What is this “idealistic” that
keeps coming up? Merriam-Webster says:
ide·al·ism noun \ī-ˈdē-(ə-)ˌliz-əm, ˈī-(ˌ)dē-\
the
attitude of a person who believes that it is possible to live according to very
high standards of behavior and honesty
Hm… just following the bouncing
ball as we know what people usually mean when they say “hopeless romantic,” but
in actuality it doesn’t sound like a romantic is hopeless at all. Quite the
opposite in fact! It is the same as saying “hopelessly hopeful.” “…relating to
love, especially in a sentimental or [very high standards] way.” Reminds me of
the saints. Men and women who held to their hearts desires of hoping to bring
God, who is trust (honesty) and love. They lived virtuous lives of high
integrity. St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati. St.
Gianna Molla. St. Maria Gorretti. Bl. Jose del Rio Sanchez. St. Barbara. St.
Philomena. St. John Vianney. St. Josemaria Escriva. The list goes on!
So if you’re “hopelessly
romantic” or “too idealistic” is that not actually a complement to one who is
seeking God? I must admit that it took some searching to find a definition of
“idealism” that seemed appropriate for this post for various reasons – such as
the use of the word in the definition and a couple definitions that’s wording
wasn’t suited for this train of thought, but do you still find agreement with
the definitions presented? What then, do you day dream, idealize, and
romanticize about?
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