Love Letter: ‘I Can Take Myself to the Movies’ – The New York Times

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After experiencing one too many hookups that never quite made it past go, or even to dinner and a movie, Mae-sa Dixon re-evaluated her love life. In 2013, she quit dating and sex entirely. Although some friends and family judge her decision, Ms. Dixon said she feels empowered by her new lifestyle: “I just became so much more confident in my own abilities, because I didn’t need someone to make me feel fulfilled or complete.”

In this week’s Modern Love essay, Michelle Dowd, who had grown accustomed to not hearing “I love you” as a child, shared how she came to realize the value of those words.

This week’s Vows column features a dramatic union. When Kate Hamill, an actor and screenwriter, met Jason O’Connell, a fellow actor, there was an immediate spark. However, Ms. Hamill had a boyfriend. When Ms. Hamill’s play, “Sense and Sensibility,” was in need of a leading man, she asked Mr. O’Connell to play the part. He eventually went from being her co-star to her real-life love.

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