Love Letter: Dating in the Middle of the Atlantic Ocean

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As many of us are following stay-at-home orders in the United States and around the world because of the coronavirus pandemic, isolation has become our new normal. Some people may find the forced solitude to be jarring, while others may feel that this time is deepening their connections with themselves and others.

In this week’s Modern Love essay, Dev Aujla writes about how a 10-day trip on a cargo ship, where he was confined to a small room with a woman he had gone out with only a few times, fast-tracked their relationship and commitment.

In this week’s Vows column, not even a pandemic could stop Julie Samuels and Joe Hillyer from getting married. The couple, who had originally hoped to wed with family and friends in attendance, quickly shifted plans because of the coronavirus and had a simple outdoor ceremony for two on the front porch of their home in Montclair, N.J.

Even during these unsettling times, love is not canceled. Some couples have still managed to declare their commitment with creative, quarantine-approved marriage proposals. Did you plan a romantic proposal at home while self-isolating together? If so, we want to hear from you.