DeepSummary
The episode begins with a brief advertisement for Smokey Bear's 80th birthday and a reminder about wildfire prevention. The main segment features author Zoe Fishman reading her essay 'The Subway Crush Who Crushed Me' from the Modern Love column. In the essay, she recounts her years-long infatuation with a man named Ronen, whom she would frequently see on the subway. After finally meeting and dating Ronen, they eventually married and had two sons together.
However, tragedy struck when Ronen suddenly died at age 44 due to a brain hemorrhage caused by a rare condition. Zoe describes the devastation of unexpectedly losing her husband and being left to raise their young sons alone. Despite her heartbreak, she finds solace in the ways her sons remind her of Ronen through their mannerisms and the things they say.
Zoe expresses gratitude for the time she had with Ronen and reflects that she would choose to love and marry him again, even knowing the eventual outcome. She has come to terms with the difference between intuition and clairvoyance, realizing that while she couldn't have foreseen Ronen's death, she can still trust her instincts about love.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The power of intuition and trusting one's heart in matters of love
- The preciousness of life and how it can be taken away unexpectedly
- The enduring impact loved ones can have even after death through the memories and mannerisms they leave behind
- The resilience of the human spirit in the face of profound loss and grief
- The difference between intuition and clairvoyance - intuition should still be valued even when an outcome cannot be foreseen
- The complexities of navigating life as a single parent after losing a spouse
- The comfort that can be found in subtle reminders of a deceased loved one
- The profound and lasting love that can develop from a seemingly superficial crush
Top Episodes Quotes
- “It didn't matter if other men saw me that way or not. It was that he did, and the fact that he'd say that to me.“ by Zoe Fishman
- “Our boys channel him. They say things that knock the wind out of me.“ by Zoe Fishman
- “I may be heartbroken, but I would fall in love and marry Renen all over again. I would.“ by Zoe Fishman
- “Time has replanted a few seeds of optimism in the new, forever altered soil of me. My heart can and should still be followed, and I am grateful for the growth.“ by Zoe Fishman
- “Never in a million years did I foresee this. It had no resemblance to my childhood, and I had nothing to compare it to.“ by Zoe Fishman
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Episode Information
Modern Love
The New York Times
12/6/23