Love Letter: A Mysterious Delivery

When they opened the door, nobody was there.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 23, 2022 By Miya Lee After Charlotte Maya lost her husband to suicide, she and her young sons were used to unexpected visitors. But when her doorbell rang one mid-December evening, nobody was there. Instead, on her doormat was a kit to make a gingerbread house with a note that only said, "On the First Day of Christmas. … " In this week's Modern Love essay, "When a Doorbell's Ring Means Hope," Ms. Maya describes how a series of mysterious deliveries buoyed her family during their darkest days. MODERN LOVE "We didn't hear a car engine or receding footsteps or a muffled giggle. We didn't see anyone scurry away. Not a shape or a shadow." Brian Rea MODERN LOVE When a Doorbell's Ring Means Hope It was as if someone was saying to us, "You are seen. You are loved." By Charlotte Maya Join the 7-Day Happiness Challenge. Research shows that the single most important driver of happiness is the strength of our relationships. Sign up for a week of exercises from the New York Times Well desk that will help set you up for a happier, more connected year. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MORE MODERN LOVE Read the latest batch of Tiny Love Stories. Brian Rea MODERN LOVE Tiny Love Stories: 'Meet Me Under the Bridge at 5 A.M.' Modern Love in miniature, featuring reader-submitted stories of no more than 100 words. LOVE AND MARRIAGE "We met eye to eye and smiled at each other while our moms joked that Joseph should take me to prom since I didn't have a date." Ben Sklar for The New York Times VOWS Their Mothers Brought Them Together. Loss Cemented Their Bond. Charmaine Gomez and Joseph Contreras first met during a dress alteration in his parents' kitchen. But it would be another couple of years before he gathered the courage to ask her out. By Jenny Block Tzahi Shemesh Marriage Was Not in His Plan, Divine Intervention Changed That Brad Stensrude was seriously committed to Denise Pinto but never wanted to marry again. During a tour of Israel, he had a revelation. By Rosalie R. Radomsky Judith Rae MINI-VOWS She Kick-Started His Heart Jacquelyn Drozdow and Matthew Comite began dating after she joined his kickball team at the suggestion of her matchmaking sister-in-law. By Ivy Manners MINI-VOWS A Helmet and a Hug Won Her Over On their first date, Vanessa Zoltan wanted to make sure Peter Mueller, a cyclist, had taken proper safety precautions while riding. He did, and "it made me melt," she said. By Alix Wall ASK THE EXPERTS "Secular Christmas fantasies tend to go hard on familial love and acceptance, which are simply not the reality for many people." Miguel Porlan SOCIAL Q'S My Mother Disapproves of My Jewish Girlfriend. How Can We Mend Fences? A reader wonders what he can do to repair his relationship with his mother in the face of her prejudice. By Philip Galanes Illustration by Tomi Um THE ETHICIST Someone Lonely Considers Me a Friend. Should I Stay in His Life? The magazine's Ethicist columnist on the obligations we have to friends who are struggling. By Kwame Anthony Appiah Paola Saliby How to Avoid Making a Wedding Faux Pas Etiquette experts and wedding pros share five common pitfalls to keep in mind when hosting or attending a wedding. By Sarah Lyon Continue reading the main story ADVERTISMENT LOVE IN THE NEWS "My sisterhood is the best hood, nothing is more important to me than my family and my sisterhood." Nina Westervelt for The New York Times Merry 'Sismas': A Holiday Tradition Honors Friendship For a group of devoted girlfriends, the season shines brighter when they're together — preferably in a costume, eating some oxtail. By Chloe Anello Amy Lombard for The New York Times Foes of Drag Queen Story Hours Invade New York Councilman's Home Tensions over the children's event escalated this week when two protesters were arrested for trespassing. By Liam Stack Stasele Jakunskaite Simple Steps for Managing Holiday Loneliness Whether you're physically apart from your loved ones or feeling isolated in a sea of friends and family, these strategies can help. By Catherine Pearson Giovanni Rufino/Focus Features Jim Parsons Takes the Romantic Lead The Emmy-winning "Big Bang Theory" actor "could've done anything he wanted." Now starring in the tear-jerker film "Spoiler Alert," he's forging his own path. By Juan A. Ramírez NASA How Naming the James Webb Telescope Turned Into a Fight Over Homophobia Did the former head of NASA discriminate against gay people? One physicist tried to rebut the accusation, only to find himself the target of attacks. By Michael Powell We want to hear your stories. Here's how to submit a Modern Love essay or an Unhitched column. Don't feel like writing more than two tweets, an Instagram caption or a Facebook post? Consider submitting to Tiny Love Stories, which are no more than 100 words. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Love Letter from The New York Times. To stop receiving Love Letter, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018