Tiny Love Stories: 'The Cooler, Funnier Version of Myself'

Modern Love in miniature, featuring reader-submitted stories of no more than 100 words.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 4:55pm

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The New York Times published a collection of 'Tiny Love Stories' - short, 100-word tales of love, loss, and relationships. The stories cover a range of experiences, from a father's final moments to the joy of a lifelong friendship.

Why it matters

These 'Tiny Love Stories' provide a glimpse into the intimate, personal experiences of readers, offering a relatable and poignant look at the complexities of human connection and the power of love in its many forms.

The details

The collection includes stories such as 'Passing Out of Purgatory,' where a daughter reflects on her father's final moments and the love she comes to understand; 'Our Silver Jubilee,' about a friendship celebrated like a marriage; and 'Some Things Never Change,' a tale of a couple's enduring love despite one partner's declining health. The stories are concise yet impactful, capturing the essence of modern love in a few carefully chosen words.

  • The stories were published on January 28, 2026.

The players

Ann Weissman

The author of the story 'Passing Out of Purgatory.'.

Jack MacDonald

The author of the story 'Our Silver Jubilee.'

Nicole Hardy

The author of the story 'Some Things Never Change.'

Nandini Ganesh

The author of the story 'Twin Commencements.'

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What they’re saying

“I knew my father's life was ending when he heard helicopters overhead and welcomed soldiers only he could see. All night, I listened to him talk with shadows he knew before I was born. First, his sister. Then, his parents. His longest conversation was with Private Roberts. 'I have been waiting for this for so long, ever since I've been shot down,' he, a Vietnam vet, said. My father's love had always felt like a void. That night, I saw what was taken from him, not what he couldn't give to me. In his death, I understood his love.”

— Ann Weissman (The New York Times)

“'I decided something,' I said as Alyssa and I sipped mimosas in the airport lounge. 'Italy is our silver jubilee.' I discovered the term in a Wiki spiral: A silver jubilee is a joyous 25th celebration. In our case, not of marriage, but of our number of years on earth. Alyssa laughed, and we toasted an honest friendship that makes earth fun. We clinked glasses as if on honeymoon, in our case, of a straight wife and a gay husband. Italy is 25. Japan will be 50.”

— Jack MacDonald (The New York Times)

“'Might drop dead tomorrow,' he said. A loud-talking, adorable joker from Jersey, he'd hired me as a deckhand narrating Seattle boat tours in 1996. We fell in love, felt invincible with the Space Needle and Kurt Cobain's house in the distance. Fast forward to Parkinson's, heart failure, a D.N.R. 'One to 10, how scared are you?' I asked. 'Seven,' he replied. My heart dropped. 'Do you still believe in God?' I asked. 'Tell you tomorrow,' he joked, and we laughed ourselves breathless. 'I love you forever,' I said. It's always been true.”

— Nicole Hardy (The New York Times)

“My younger sister, Mythili, recently got into college in the U.S. It's terrifying and heartwarming to think that I'll vicariously relive undergrad through the cooler, funnier version of myself. I don't know if she'll immediately enjoy the move from Singapore or if she'll ease into an American college with time. I am certain, however, that she is far more prepared to set out into the world than I ever was. My graduation and her move-in date are just months apart. As I realize that I'm not ready for these days to be over, here she comes: my second, better chance.”

— Nandini Ganesh (The New York Times)

The takeaway

These 'Tiny Love Stories' offer a poignant and relatable glimpse into the complexities of human relationships, capturing the universal experiences of love, loss, and the profound connections that shape our lives.