Modern Love: A TV Series Recommendation

I'm not a big tv series fan for reasons I won't go into because I could most probably be misunderstood. Even so, sometimes there is this one show or episode that touches me in unexpected ways. Modern Love has just done that and I'll tell you why I recommend you watch it.

First, I'd like to start by telling you a little more about where the TV series comes from. It's based on a weekly column of personal essays published in the New York Times. There is also a podcast, of which I've been a fan for some years now. In it, you can listen to renowned actors reading the essays, followed by a conversation with the essay's writer. 


But let's get back to the TV show. Episode 2 begins with an interview coming to an end, between journalist Julie (Catherine Keener) and dating app CEO Joshua (Dev Patel). At this point is when the story really takes off by Julie asking him if he has ever been in love and, oh holy cow, here it comes. They're in the park sitting on a bench when he explains his theory of love,

"I have this theory that a relationship is kind of like a rocket, and you're trying to get it into space. And all you need is enough fuel to get you out of the Earth's atmosphere, and then it'll keep going, no matter what you throw at it, in the direction it was launched...Do we have what it takes for our whole life, that initial thrust?"

Well, inevitably, it got me thinking. What is love? How do some manage to make it last? What does it take? Is love different for everyone? I thought about how each love means something very personal and unique. Irrepetible. Irrepetible? It's shaped by experience, by falling in and out of love, by having your heart being broken, or by breaking someone's heart. Love is anything you want it to be. Love is living, trusting, enduring, forgiving. Love ends and love lasts. Love isn't free, it's built. Love is a treasure, a precious fire. Love needs to be protected and nurtured, being looked after. I wonder, after watching the episode, what questions will the story incite in you? Have you ever loved in a way where the initial fuel was enough to give you the gift of a long-lasting relationship? Have you ever loved in a way where you ran out of fuel and had to give up your greatest love story ever? 

I hope this short post gets you thinking about love. It's always interesting to consciously reflect on themes we sometimes take for granted. 

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