Can't Write About What You Don't Know

I've been having a bit of a crisis as of late.

Traditionally I have been a raging romantic. But as time wears on and I get older and my relations with women have begun to change, I find myself questioning the purpose or need for romantic love. I say "romantic love" as I feel that my concepts of love for friends and family has only strengthened, but the notion of my "soul mate" seems to get more distant.

The thing that really worries me is... I'm not concerned.

If I had had these feelings as a younger man, I would have been terrified. But these days when I try and compose lofty thoughts on the subject of love, my mind just calls "bullshit!". And herein lies the problem... I'm trying to write about love.

My current screenplay, a rather esoteric exploration of the psyche of love, is floundering due to the fact that I just don't know what to say anymore. Now I can already hear someone say "so write that!", but I can't! I may have lost sight of "romantic love" but that doesn't mean that I have lost all of my romantic qualities.

Romance is not strictly about love.

I'm a big fan of happy endings. That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed many stories that end on a down note, but for me and my work I want to uplift. I've always been an entertaining sort of person, and it just seems to me that there's plenty more disappointment in the world than there is success. Movies, for me, are a way of escaping the real world and I want things to turn out great for the hero.

What do I do? I've become cynical and jaded and no longer have anything hopeful to say about love. Is it possible that I could still end things on a down note and have it entertaining and fun?

I just don't know anymore.

Probably my biggest problem is I don't know what romantic love is. What does it mean to love someone romantically? I've been searching for an answer to this as of late and no one seems to be able to give a proper response.

Is it eternal?
Is it insightful?
Is it overwhelming?
Is it fickle?
Is it... what?

What is it?

You tell me...


-Darrell C. Hazelrig