Post: modern love

There’s one thing I’ve taken to reading consistently lately in the New York Times, and that’s the Modern Love column.

I think it’s because sometimes Modern Love is really a misnomer, as the stories might be more about Modern Lust or Modern Infatuation or Modern Co-Dependency. The fun is trying to figure out which one the particular anecdote falls into. But every once in a while, I read one that resonates with me.

Last week’s Modern Love column was one of those. It was about a woman who lived in a separate apartment from her husband, only to finally move in with him when the circumstances of war in the Middle East forced her to. I think I found it bittersweet because I’ve always joked that the perfect relationship would be to be married but live in separate places, and I used to say that only half tongue-in-cheek. Her story gives me hope for myself! (And again, I say that only half tongue-in-cheek).

What most surprises me about these columns is the openness with which people are willing to talk about their failed or successful relationships, trysts or indiscretions—-especially the indiscretions, which do little to disprove my “Men are from Dog, Women are From Stupid” theory. But then a weepy, sentimental one like this week’s, about a woman whose boyfriend gives her his kidney, will surface and make me temporarily feel the fuzzies.

The other thing the column makes me do is sing the David Bowie song in my head over and over:

“Modern love - walks beside me
Modern love - walks on by
Modern love - gets me to the church on time”

How so very true, Mr. Bowie.