Love Letter: A Friend, Not a Wife

And an usual date — with grandpa.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story February 3, 2023 Alessandra Ranelli had been separated from her husband for about a year when he found out he had Stage 3B colon cancer. In this week's Modern Love essay, "Two Kisses We Never Talked About," Ms. Ranelli describes how her husband's illness altered their relationship. MODERN LOVE "I knew I couldn't be the wife anymore. I could be the friend, but not the wife." Brian Rea MODERN LOVE Two Kisses We Never Talked About Sometimes you really have to show up for your ex. This was one of those times. By Alessandra Ranelli Subscribe Today We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times with this special offer. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MORE MODERN LOVE Read our latest batch of Tiny Love Stories or submit one yourself! Brian Rea MODERN LOVE Tiny Love Stories: 'Want to Come Over?' Modern Love in miniature, featuring reader-submitted stories of no more than 100 words. Brian Rea TINY LOVE STORIES Tell Us Your Love Story. Just Keep It Really Short. We're looking for all the emotion that's fit to print — in no more than 100 words. By Daniel Jones and Miya Lee LOVE AND MARRIAGE "The bath date was more evidence of a love she hadn't thought possible. As a caregiver, 'I had so many challenges,' she said. 'I thought I would never have a relationship.'" Harriet Chen VOWS A Friendship Evolves, Thanks to an Unusual Date — With Grandpa Shuo Chen and Gorick Ng were introduced in 2012 when both were in college and he was seeking some professional advice from her. They didn't become a couple until almost 10 years later. By Tammy LaGorce Bigwig Photography - Nertila Arifi MINI-VOWS Living 'Out Loud and Proud' in Berlin Paula Sapion Miranda dazzled Deidre Olsen — who also lived in Germany — with colorful flowers and a line from a Pablo Neruda poem. By Rosalie R. Radomsky Christine Sadoy Photography MINI-VOWS She Found Love in a Surprising Place: A CD Pile It was a very Gen X love story for Niffer Desmond and Paul Petroskey. She admired his music from afar for years, but had no way of finding him. Then social media was invented. By Sadiba Hasan Mary Price MINI-VOWS When His Air-Conditioner Broke Down, Things Heated Up Harvey Starin first considered Dorine Seidman, a former president of their homeowner's association, "stern and scary." That changed. By Rosalie R. Radomsky ASK THE EXPERTS "It's reasonable to avoid the company of people you find morally bankrupt." Illustration by Tomi Um THE ETHICIST They Ran an Illegal Scam. Do We Let Our Child Go to Their Home? The magazine's Ethicist columnist on the boundaries one sets with wrongdoers and their children. By Kwame Anthony Appiah Miguel Porlan SOCIAL Q'S How Can I Possibly Trust My Daughter After She Betrayed Me? In the course of offering financial advice, a mother shared a personal story about her marriage with her adult daughter, who later forwarded the entire exchange to her father. By Philip Galanes Continue reading the main story ADVERTISMENT LOVE IN THE NEWS "The restaurant plays host, on average, to two proposals every week. Those numbers typically go up during the proposal season, which takes place from the end of November through February." Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times At This Popular Restaurant, Proposals Are Their Specialty One if by Land, Two if by Sea in Greenwich Village, which offers the perfect setting for romantic engagements, expects to see a jump in proposals in February. By Brittany Loggins Akos Stiller for The New York Times A U.S. Ambassador Finds Himself on Hostile Ground in Hungary David Pressman, a gay human rights lawyer, has been accused by pro-government media in Hungary of undermining traditional values, violating diplomatic conventions and meddling in the judiciary. By Andrew Higgins Desiree Rios/The New York Times FIRST PERSON An Enduring Commitment, Wedding Ring or Not One woman's quest to find a replacement for the too-small gold band she has had for more than four decades. By Candy Schulman Carla Valdivia Nakatani Valentine's Day 2023 Gift Guide: What T Editors Covet Most Right Now Essentials for a romantic night at home, sophisticated sweets and more recommendations from T Magazine. CALCULATOR Single Women Own More Homes Than Single Men A look at where the ownership gap is greatest and smallest across the U.S. By Michael Kolomatsky Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times They're Not Just Dads, They're Congressional Dads Male politicians who are parents of young children are wearing their fatherhood on their sleeves and their babies on their chests. By Marc Tracy We want to hear your stories. Here's how to submit a Modern Love essay or an Unhitched column. Don't feel like writing more than two tweets, an Instagram caption or a Facebook post? Consider submitting to Tiny Love Stories, which are no more than 100 words. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Love Letter from The New York Times. To stop receiving Love Letter, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, manage your email preferences. 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