When I speak of chivalry I don’t mean the qualities of a knight. I mean the chivalrous behavior: considerate and courteous behavior, especially shown by a man toward women. Chivalry is a big part of being a gentleman. The way a man acts towards a woman is the one thing most people focus on when defining a gentleman. Now a days, everyone is in such a hurry that they don’t value the little things. And through the hustle and bustle of life chivalry has been lost. What ever happened to holding the door open for a lady as she walked into a building you were about to enter? To asking her out face to face and taking her to dinner and a movie then a walk in the park? Walking on the outside of the sidewalk just for a little extra protection? Letting her wear your jacket because she is cold? Or, even just simply asking how her day went, or telling her she is beautiful? All of these little things have almost seemed to vanish.

It has come to the point where when a person actually does any of those things, it is a shock. Girls, now a days, mostly believe that chivalry can only happen in movies and for the most part they are right.  If chivalry was still around then more and more movies would become less of a dream and more of a reality. Because when a guy acts like they do in films he is so different that girls stray away from it even though they complain about wanting a “movie love.” They want that kind of love but never embrace it since they aren’t used to be treated like that.
Most men don’t understand the importance of the little things I mentioned earlier. I will explain why I think each of those is important to hopefully try and revive your belief in chivalry. First, opening a door. When you open the door for a girl it opens a conversation because they will instantly make eye contact with you. Maybe you are the guy that will pursue a relationship with this girl. But nonetheless, this simple gesture makes you look like you care about others. Next, the date. Technology has taken over the world, as well as the relationships. So when you go up to a girl and ask her out to a movie it will just make you look confident even though you could be on the verge of an explosion inside. It also defines the relationship and shows her respect.  And going out to a movie with dinner before (and you paying for the dinner of course) is also just a simple little thing that most teenagers don’t do anymore. Finishing the date with a nice little walk in a park or nature is nice because you get away from everything. Walking in the outside of the sidewalk is probably one of the least known gestures out there. Pretend it just rained and a bus drives by right in a puddle. Would you rather the puddle splash her or you? You should’ve answered for the puddle to splash you. It isn’t a well noticed thing but it goes a long way just in case if something bad happens. Also it shows you are looking out for her safety since you are closer to traffic. Now, giving her your jacket should be a pretty straight forward idea but I will still explain just in case you are unaware. Anyways, when you give a girl your jacket it is just a sweet gesture that will go a long way. I don’t really know how else to explain it. A little tip, they love it when your jacket smells like your cologne. And lastly, compliments and questions. As we know, girls love to talk. Just listen and engage. What happened during their day can’t be that boring. Ask questions, be a good listener, it is really simple. Also, tell her she looks beautiful today. Give her a little compliment. Can’t hurt can it?

Performing chivalrous acts is simple. They aren’t really that hard so why not do them? Even if you think that you will be looked at funny it doesn’t matter. It is a look that is well deserved. Personally I would rather be yelled at for a nice gesture than yelled at for slamming the door in someone’s face but that’s just me. The road for such acts may be a long one but the reward is amazing. If you choose this way of life, as I have, you will not regret it. Everyone worries about endangered animals, so why not try and save the way of the Gentleman?