Growing up in 21st century, we’re lead to believe in different signs of affection than, say, our great grandparents. Receiving a long text or being tagged in a photo can speak loudly, but causes me to pause and question: Is chivalry dead?

  It seems impossible to imagine that long before cell phones and computers were even a thought, men were still wooing women. Love letters used to be written and flowers used to be delivered. Men would walk up to the front door, instead of hastily writing a sloppy text message, and hold the door for the lady as she got in the car. Now I’m not saying women have a clean slate either, over the past centuries we’ve also really let the ball slip. We’ve seemed to decide that a “get well soon” text is just as important as bringing over cookies, or soup. Have we gotten so caught up in our devices that we stopped really appreciating one another? I constantly have to tell myself to stop checking my phone when in the presence of my significant other, and to really sit back and enjoy the moment.

  As fall approaches, I challenge everyone to bring that sense of chivalry, to start really trying to bring back the old fashioned ways. Try going on a pumpkin patch date, and leave the phones in the car. Take an afternoon off and go get a hot coffee, or take a walk around the park together as the leaves finally start to fall. Chivalry doesn’t have to be dead. As Beethoven said, “Love demands everything and that very justly- thus it is to me with you, and you with me.”