Stop Looking for the Perfect Partner

Stop Looking for the Perfect Partner

Author: The New York Times March 15, 2023 Duration: 21:35
“The only three men I had ever imagined a future with all told me that something was missing,” Oz Johnson wrote in her Modern Love essay. When Oz was 23, her boyfriend said she met 99 percent of his criteria, but she was missing 1 percent. Over a decade later, another man broke up with her via email. Their love was almost perfect, he said, but not enough to last. What is this missing, unquantifiable feeling? Oz used to be haunted by these rejections, but now she has come to embrace the search for imperfect love. After: Nancy Cardwell wasn’t looking for love — but then, at 58 years old, she fell passionately in love with tango. Her newfound zeal for the dance took her to Buenos Aires, where she fell in love again — this time, with a man named Luis.

For two decades, the Modern Love column in The New York Times has offered a uniquely intimate window into how people navigate relationships, heartbreak, and connection. That same spirit of honest, personal storytelling finds its voice in this weekly podcast, hosted by Anna Martin. Here, the written essays are brought to life, often by notable actors, and expanded upon through Martin’s thoughtful conversations with the authors and other guests. They delve into the aftermath of the published story, exploring what was learned and how lives have unfolded since. You’ll hear about love in its many forms-romantic, familial, platonic, and self-love-across a spectrum of experiences that are by turns heartbreaking, awkward, humorous, and profoundly uplifting. This isn’t about fairytales, but the real, messy, and transformative moments that define us. The Modern Love podcast, from The New York Times, continues that essential tradition of sharing our most vulnerable stories to see our own lives more clearly. New episodes arrive every Wednesday.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 445

Modern Love
Podcast Episodes
Promises That Can Bend | With Peter Gallagher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:11
Peter Gallagher ("Grace and Frankie," "The O.C.") reads the story of one man's effort to stay with his wife in sickness and in health.
No Bounds, Or Lanes | With Kyra Sedgwick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:06
Love, itself, is a leap of faith. But some people take a bigger jump than others. Kyra Sedgwick (TNT's "The Closer") reads a story about a "wild ride" of a marriage.
Dear Dad, We've Been Gay Forever | With Cynthia Nixon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:58
Cynthia Nixon ("The Last Boy in New York," "A Quiet Passion") reads an essay about two grown siblings raised in the Mennonite church and their decision to come out to their 95-year-old father.
Flowergate | With June Diane Raphael [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:49
June Diane Raphael of Netflix's "Grace and Frankie" reads a story about a flower delivery gone very, very wrong.
I Need To Woman Up | With Cynthia Addai-Robinson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:01
We can't control the curve balls life throws at us, but we can control how we handle them. Cynthia Addai-Robinson (USA Network's "Shooter") reads a story about choosing to face one of life's greatest challenges alone.
An Empty Heart | With Zoe Lister-Jones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:19
Zoe Lister-Jones ("Band Aid," "Life in Pieces") reads renowned novelist Lily King's story about the silver lining of heartbreak.
Take My Son To Jail | With Jayne Atkinson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:21
Jayne Atkinson ("House of Cards") tells the story of a mother who reluctantly uses tough love when her son refuses to follow the law.