Visits: 24
Modern Love in miniature, featuring reader-submitted stories of no more than 100 words.
365 Dips
On a Cape Cod beach last January, I braced for my daily cold water plunge. “Can I join you?” asked a stranger. I hesitated. But her red hair and wide smile reminded me of my younger self. “Sure,” I said. Ashley is 29. I’m 47. For seven minutes in frigid water, we shared our stories: her chronic illness and career change; my failed marriage and struggles raising a child with cancer. Every day since our first encounter, we’ve met to immerse ourselves in the ocean. We bond in a daily baptism. I now can’t imagine braving water, or life, without her. — Amy McHugh
Yes Translates Easily
On a dating app, when I first asked Ximena if she wanted to meet, she replied, “Yes, we will.” Her response foretold the unwavering way she would show up in our relationship. It also indicated that English might not be her first language. Ximena is from Colombia. The only thing stronger than the coffee she brews are her emphatic “yes”es. Hot yoga? A weekend in a yurt? Hike Half Dome? Unsure of her English sometimes, but certain of us, Ximena is always game. When I proposed marriage, Ximena didn’t just say, “Yes,” but, “Por supuesto que si” (Of course, yes). — Kristin Pene
