Love Stories From the New York Times
Modern Love is a weekly column that features relationships, feelings, betrayals and revelations. The narrators write about themselves, their friends and family. The stories are a mix of truth and fiction.
To submit your story to the New York Times, start by reading the column regularly. Familiarizing yourself with the tone and style will help you focus on what makes your story unique.
Love is a game
When romance seems like a game, it can be hard to stay focused on the prize. In an age where a billion-dollar industry preys on women’s insecurities, it is easy to believe that the more we manipulate our personalities and bodies, the closer we will get to love. But what if that’s not the whole story?
From a Manhattan apartment to a prison cell, these stories show how love can take shape in countless ways. It can be found at the grocery store, a punk concert, a karaoke bar or even in a box of formula. It can be forged through rewards cards, drink coupons and arcade passes. It can be fought for with sex, ice cream, sleep and a little bit of luck. And, when it comes to romance, sometimes the best strategy is to just let go and fall freely. – Amy Winehouse, “Love is a Losing Game” (2006).
Love is a choice
When it comes to loving someone, you’re making a choice, not just an emotion. You’re choosing to accept your partner for who they are, even when it doesn’t feel like it. You’re also choosing to be appreciative of them and the things they do for you.
You’re choosing to show your love by being there when it matters most. This can be through simple gestures such as kisses, hugs, and reciprocating acts. It can also be through more substantial gestures such as spending time with them or helping them with chores.
As a family struggles with Alzheimer’s, a woman reflects on the challenges of loving someone who can’t remember. An essayist tries to explain what she’s learned about being in love and the way it changes with time. And a college essay winner writes about a strained relationship with a man who doesn’t speak English. But he’s still her love. So what does that mean?
Love is a test
When it comes to love, everyone has different opinions. However, it is a universal emotion that we all feel at one point or another. Whether you are in love or lust, it is important to know how to recognize it. A love or lust test can help you determine how strong your feelings are for someone else.
These modern love essays share tales from all corners of the globe: airplanes, arranged marriages, May-Decembers, bookstores, punk shows, baseball games, summer nights, babysitters, essential oils and the many ways that love manifests itself in everyday life.
The test of stability: Unlike infatuation, true love tends to endure. Moreover, it is also a test of patience, as those in love are often more patient with each other than they would be with themselves. As a result, their relationship is more stable. They are willing to wait for the right partner, even if it takes longer than they had hoped.
Love is a miracle
A young woman realizes that it’s not a lack of love that ends long-term relationships; it’s an absence of curiosity. A neuroscientist studies the physiology of romantic rejection and finds comfort (and over-the-counter medication) in her own experience. A mother tries to find love in the most unlikely places, including her son’s karaoke performances and her husband’s skillful parking. A Jamaican woman learns to show love through a gift that’s more than just a gesture.
Blind dates, first sights and second chances reveal the funny, frustrating and beautiful way that love plays out in our lives. We share stories of May-December romances, airplanes, arranged marriages, ad hoc affairs and even a little sex in a prison cell. All of these and many more stories are proof that love can be found in a whole host of unexpected ways: from baseball games to book clubs, pizzas to punk shows, subways to karaoke. All it takes is a willing heart and an open mind to see the miracles around us.
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