Love Letter: A 95th Birthday Celebration and Wedding Cake Too

The pandemic made dating a lot more complicated for many, but it didn’t stop Joy Morrow-Nulton and John Shults Jr. from falling in love, getting engaged and tying the knot. The couple, both 95, met through Ms. Morrow-Nulton’s son in May 2019 and began a courtship that included frequent lunch dates, mostly in their homes. By February, they were vaccinated and engaged. Their wedding on May 22 doubled as a celebration of their love and their 95th birthdays that same month.

For Denny Agassi, a transgender woman and the writer of this week’s Modern Love essay, dating consisted of swiping left and right on various gay hookup apps in search of a “trans-friendly” straight man. Over the years, she had grown accustomed to temporary flings that often left her feeling unseen and unworthy. That changed when she met a man who introduced her to intimacy, someone with whom she could finally experience true affection.

[Like this newsletter? Sign up to receive it in your inbox.]

In the early days of the pandemic, many couples wondered if their relationships would survive the increased togetherness. Now, over a year later, those who thrived will have to learn to adapt, yet again, now that many restrictions have been lifted. Here are a few tips on how couples can adjust to spending time apart.

We want to hear from you.

We want to deliver content that truly matters to you and your feedback is helpful. Email your thoughts to [email protected].