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
Leaps of Faith | Modern Love Bonus Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:55
We love hearing your stories of love, loss and redemption. This bonus episode features listener-submitted stories involving "leaps of faith."
A Faithful Leap | With Amber Tamblyn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:34
Amber Tamblyn brings us the story of a leap of faith so dramatic, it's straight out of a movie.
In Darkness And In Light | With Patina Miller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:10
Patina Miller narrates a story about one woman who has a seemingly average life and marriage -- except for the fact that she's slowly going blind.
A 'Modern Love' Audio Valentine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:47
An audio valentine from Modern Love listeners -- for Modern Love listeners.
'The Plunge' | With Dakota Fanning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:26
Dakota Fanning narrates an essay about a falling in love and falling off a cliff -- literally.