My Top 20 Favorite Romantic Movies

Being a mighty queen is about far more than being a financial success or fantastic in the working world.  A might queen is someone who is living the most fabulous and happy life they can.
Living a good life should not be just work, work, work! There should be plenty of down time, plenty of entertainment, and plenty of stop and smell the roses time.

One of my favorite ways to sit back and a enjoy a little time is to watch something completely romantic and just let myself go. Watching romance sometimes requires suspending judgement for a little while-don't fuss that no man is really like that-truth be told, no woman is either. Just sit back, go with the formula plots and manipulative music and let yourself feel.

So in no particular order, let's go!

1. Flashdance. She has an amazing apartment in an old warehouse, he's weathy, there are a lot of cool dance routines, and it is sweet. Yeah, she's way too young for him, but let's just let this fantasy play out.

2. The Bridges of Madison County- It may be sad, but Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep are just so real.

3. Bridget Jones Diary-Bridget is crazy and quirky and totally relatable. You just have to love her and the men in her life.

4. The Notebook-Come on. When they finally get around to getting it on, you are literally DYING.

5. Silver Linings Playbook- Bipolar Disorder is real and I have real-life experience with people close to me fighting this battle. This movie was really touching at showing that even with a serious mental disorder, people are people and everyone is worthy of love.

6. Pride and Prejudice (Keira Knightley version)- Oh God, really. Just watch it.

7. P.S. I Love You- P.S. I loved this movie. The clothes, the romantic men, the scenery. It was just fantastic. The book although VERY different was great, as well.

8 The English Patient- Every since I saw the Seinfeld episode where Elaine hated this movie, I have felt a bit of shame in loving it, but I LoVE IT. My favorite movie ever. Unfortunately I have watched it so many times, my brain cannot handle watching it again.

9. The Holiday-Oh the houses. The houses were absolutely to die for in this. Jude Law isn't half bad and even Jack Black seemed kind of sweet (and totally the one I would have ended up with-I am much more of an Iris than an Amanda).

10.  The Fault in Our Stars-I just love this sweet, sad love story.

11. A Walk to Remember- Nicholas Sparks strikes again. This story is so sweet-The girl is amazing, the boy becomes amazing. Love it.

12. Twilight-I know. I know as a respectable woman I am not supposed to like this kind of drivel. But let me tell you, it is romantic. Sorry. The music is a major driver in stirring my emotions and Robert Pattinson can come stalk me in my bedroom anytime.

13. Pretty Woman-I mean who doesn't dream of being pulled off the streets and with a wealthy man with gorgeous rented jewelry?

14. Runaway Bride- Julia Roberts and Richard Gere continue their fascinating chemistry in this movie. I could totally relate to Julia's character. It is so easy to mold yourself into what someone else wants instead of taking the hard steps to be the you, you are meant to be.

15.Romeo and Juliet-Claire Danes and Leo Decaprio version. It's a completely weird take on such a dramatic piece, and I loved it.

16. Out of Africa-Such a beautiful movie.

17  Witness- I love this older movie from the looks in Harrison Ford's eyes to the roll in the fields.

18.

19. Pretty in Pink- I loved this movie, from the clothes to the lifestyle to the yummy sweet romance.

20. 10 Things I Hate About You-Unbelievable and enjoyable.

Emptiness is just full with totally different letters and more them

There is this statue, one which I have seen floating around the internet to represent the feeling of losing someone close, such as child.


I have been thinking on this quite a bit, and I am not sure that is the word I would choose. I recognize my experience is different than others. My child was not tiny, not flawless, not helpless in the traditional sense of the word. My grief was not totally unexpected; it was a grief waiting to happen in the back of my head for some time. But how does one feel empty?

I am blessed to have other children and grandchildren and a life so busy, more busy than my introspective self would like at times.

I don't feel empty.

I feel guilt. Guilt rising like a tidal wave, threatening to drown the land around it, but then logic and reason and self-love and kindness, pushes back gently and firmly and wraps me in her arms.

I once read that nothing is ever as bad as we fear or as good as we expect. And I do believe that. We just steady ourselves and keep to the middle as much as we can and keep on going.

When reason starts to rant at the futility, I feel the presence of love surround me and I know whatever the reason for all this *everything around us*, existence, Universe, whatever it is, it isn't futile. There are shadows and mysteries and energies not yet understood and God is good to me.

So emptiness is not what I feel. I feel remorse. I feel embarrassment, I feel frustrated at brain chemicals which determine so much of our daily lives, but by gosh. Life is full.