When Victoria Rosner was seven months pregnant, her husband filed for divorce. He “decided that he couldn’t be married anymore, not to me, he said, and probably not to anyone,” Victoria wrote in her Modern Love essay. A couple of years later, while they were living many miles apart, he reached out to her with a request. He had been diagnosed with a cancer that had metastasized to his bones, and he wanted to spend the time he had left with Judah, their young son. Victoria had to make a complicated decision: to forgive her ex and allow him into Judah’s life, or to close the door on Judah’s relationship with his father, possibly forever. On our season finale, we listen to Victoria’s story about forgiveness. Then, our host, Anna Martin, checks in with Judah, who is now 16. Judah reflects on what he remembers about his father — and the impact of the choice his mother made years ago. This is our last episode of the summer. We’re taking a little break, but we’ll be back in the fall with a whole new lineup of stories. We hope you’ll join us.
[theme music]
Anna Martin: From The New York Times,
I'm Anna Martin.
This is Modern Love.
This week's essay begins in a space of clarity.
A man at the end of his life
knows exactly who he wants to spend his remaining time with,
but it's not up to him.
His ex–wife needs to decide
if she'll let him.
Honestly, this essay, it broke my heart,
and it filled it right back up at the exact same time.
It's called,
'Could I Forgive Him One Last Time?'
written by Victoria Rosner
and read by Frankie Corzo.
Frankie Corzo: As I was dropping off my son at preschool,
his teacher asked me for a private chat.
John laid it out:
'Our classroom fish died yesterday.