With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, romance is on everyone’s mind. But do we put entirely too much focus on it? Or is romance a dying art in this highly virtual world? (A romantic text message will never be the same as a hand-written love letter.)

Here are some quotations on romance to give our hearts some historical perspective:

“Romance is everything.”  – Gertrude Stein

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”  – Oscar Wilde

“A tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful of romance and adventure.”  – Charlie Chaplin

“Romance is tempestuous. Love is calm.”  – Mason Cooley

“I do like a little romance… just a sniff, as I call it, of the rocks and valleys. Of course, bread-and-cheese is the real thing. The rocks and valleys are no good at all, if you haven’t got that.”  – Anthony Trollope

“Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.”  – Bruce Lee

“All I really, really want our love to do is to bring out the best in me and in you too.”  – Joni Mitchell

“Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” – Erica Jong

Why don’t you take a risk this Valentine’s Day? Surprise that certain someone with one of our love-drenched romantic Valentine’s Day ecards. It’s a virtual kiss. An electronic hug. A blue screen “I love you.”