Paths Crossed: Tiny Love Stories
My first New York Times byline is a tiny bit revealing.
Hello from Berlin. I just arrived this morning (note: Norse Airlines is a real airline and was totally fine—I’m alive, so the deep discount was worth it). I am sitting at my favorite writing desk over my favorite platz (square) in the flat (apartment) that I still rent after 10 years—shout-out to my subletter, who has kept my long primary but now secondary home in beautiful shape since I was last here last summer. It should be interesting to psychically take a break from the U.S. for several weeks.
But aside from the surreal, soft landing into the EU, the equally surreal little moment I am trying to absorb is that the New York Times published my Tiny Love Story today—the Modern Love column in minitature, no more than 100 words allowed. I’ve had the long-form Modern Love essays on my mind—to work on and submit one, that is. But in an entirely casual and separate late-night matter last week, I took up the creative challenge of writing a couple 100-word stories—as much for myself as for the column. (But of course I hit submit.) While I yearn to be a morning person, I do have to recognize that my writing often comes alive and out of me at one or two in the morning, and this time it resonated—the editor was in my inbox the next morning.
It’s not your run-of-the-mill story by any means. (TMI for my dad, and others?) But what gives me fuel to keep with my intuition and memoir is that clearly the vulnerable, open piece is the one that resonated. And that’s what I tend to find my way into. I love expressing certain things be it in community or on the page in an effort to help others see or feel parts of themselves. The messy jumble of life stuff is the messy jumble of life stuff. In fact, my friend recently said to me—Rachel, we are all feeling the same things, but you’re actually the person who is able to say it all out loud. I appreciated it. As I do this byline. (Yes, they also clearly grabbed a snippet for clickbait, but by all means, let’s make this thing “most read.”)
Finally, I just received this from the editor: “I chose your story to appear in print in Sunday Styles this week next to the main Modern Love essay.” Please feel free to photograph it for me! Though I’m sure I can get my hands on the international edition of the Times—while I sip a far cheaper coffee and sit with the myriad feelings this whole thing brought up in myriad ways.
Beautiful, resonant, and so brave.
A brilliantly memorable 100 words