I was scrolling through my Facebook page when I saw a post that made me completely lose hope in society.

There was a picture of a man holding a box of Little Caesars pizza and roses while riding the subway. Criticizing comments filled the bottom of the post. They questioned why he would even try and said there wasn’t a single woman in the world who would appreciate this gesture.

When did we allow a price tag define the significance or value of our relationships?

This man is spending what he can afford to have a nice night with his significant other. I for one believe that he is doing what more of the world needs to do, live within their means. Women keep claiming “chivalry is dead”.  The reason we believe that, is because we want to associate chivalry with buying us materialistic things like jewelry, fancy dinners, and more.

However, the word chivalry actually comes from the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight, especially courage, honor, courtesy, justice and a readiness to help the weak. None of those qualities even resemble, “spends all of his paycheck in spoiling his significant other”.

I have a friend who came home from a date as giddy as she possibly could be. I asked what they did and the first thing she mentioned was how much money he dropped and how she was dating in the upper class. I have another friend who came home from a date just as happy and when I asked what they did, she said that they sat on a blanket in a park and talked most of the night.

Money doesn’t have to buy happiness, but we just choose to let it.

Let’s try to lower the standard of materialistic romance and be more grateful for the things that actually matter. Does he open the door for you? Does he compliment you? Does he remind you of your value? These are the standards that you should be worried about, not how much money he drops on your first date.

An unknown author said, “A man who has money and chooses to spend it on you means nothing. A man with no time who chooses to find a way to spend some with you means everything.”

Ladies, chivalry is not dead; we simply lost track of what it is.