I Am Not Romantic

Romance is OK for teenagers or maybe for the very young. But I wince when I read a romantic rant on here by anyone declaring an age over 30. It seems inappropriate and immature. Especially those situations in which the people involved have never actually met and have only texted or talked over the phone. Real love doesn't happen until you have actually met someone in person and spent significant amounts of time with them. You can "fall in love" at first sight, of course. I understand that very intense attractions happen. But that is not really love in any sense that I understand it. I don't really feel comfortable with words like "soulmate" if they are used by someone beyond their earliest dating years. They sound silly and meaningless to me. I always hesitate to post this kind of response to anyone having a cloud nine romantic fantasy. I know they won't like it and that a lot of angry people here will see me as a joy killer. I know I have had an unusually unhappy life in this and in other respects, so I am hardly wise or objective about these kinds of over the top love rants. But, then, neither are the people that post them.