Romantic Comedies and the Fool’s Paradise

 Romantic comedies always serve their purpose. They are light, funny, and of course, romantic even if it is obviously in a fancy, unrealistic way. In a highly opinionated world, they are sure to face criticisms for their prince charming, and happily ever after stories, letting us live in fairyland. But for me, I do live in a paradise, probably a fool’s paradise, after watching my favourite rom-com's on a loop, but for a reason. A reason, that is different from the love that does give hope to a hopeless romantic like me, but what stays with me is the female protagonists of these stories who are either writers or magazine editors.

Julie and Julia, Confessions of a Shopaholic, One Day, 13 going on 30, The Help, The Maid, The Bold Type, and I may have missed out a few along the way. All of these are not romantic comedies. Some have broader storylines and deeper issues they deal with. While I absorb all that, what I am left with is also the urge to be one like them, professionally. Writing, editing, pitching a million ideas, and see feel the joy of seeing that written word in print, even if digital is the road to be taken these days. It is Julie who might have inspired me to finally start a blog, even if no one reads it. It is Rebecca Bloomwood who might have given me the idea of cold mailing or Alex because of whom I try journaling even if not regularly.  So, yes what connects me with these movies is not the romance, but how one finds their voice through writing and feels empowered through it.

Am I in a fool’s paradise? Maybe, I am. When life happens after the few hours of the movie escapade, you know the world is huge, competitive and it is all about how smart you sell yourselves. There are times you may lose hope but writing will never let you down.  It will let you see who you are and what you are worth, kaleidoscopic at the beginning, blurry a few days after, and a couple of rejection emails later. I wasn’t completely fooled by these fictional protagonists, they just fuelled a desire that I already had into action, which hasn’t reached a climax yet. Till then I will find peace and gather strength from my fool’s paradise.