Modern Love

This playlist episode features stories about people whose relationships were challenged by illness -- and where the promise to stand by each other "in sickness and in health" was tested. It features stories read by Michael Shannon, Sarah Silverman, Chris Messina, Rebecca Hall, and Patina Miller.

It can feel easier to leave things unspoken than to find the right words to explain ourselves. But sooner or later, the things we keep from each other can come to define our relationships. This edition of Modern Love features a playlist of three of our favorite episodes about secrets, read by Danielle Brooks, Cynthia Nixon, and Uma Thurman.

Communication. Respect. Intimacy. Doing the dishes. Those are all things that have been called the secret to marriage. But Gabrielle Zevin has a different idea. Sandra Oh ("Killing Eve") reads her piece.

We know you appreciate a good love story ... so we're bringing you two stories of relationships that have stood the test of time, from another podcast from WBUR, called "Endless Thread." Hear the story of the couple featured in an iconic photo from Woodstock, and one about a relationship that started with a note sent in second grade.

Let's face it. With the ghosting, inappropriate comments, and awkward small talk ... dating can be so bad it's hilarious. Awkwafina ("Crazy Rich Asians," "Oceans Eight") reads Sarah Moses's essay.

The emotions of parenting can feel completely out of control sometimes. Whether it's love, joy ... or, occasionally, rage. Susan Perabo writes about them in her essay, which is read by Ellie Kemper ("Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt").

Sometimes, our deepest loves aren't people at all -- they're the places that make us feel most like ourselves. Laura Dave tells a story about one of those places in her essay, which is read by Diane Guerrero ("Orange is the New Black").

Peter Goodman thought that he could fix any problem by sweeping his wife off her feet. But when his daughter was born, that strategy failed him. His essay is read by Mike Colter ("Luke Cage.")

Aspen Matis decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail because she was looking for solitude, safety, and escape. She writes about what she found there in her essay, read by actor and comic Cameron Esposito.

As a teenager in Finland, Kalle Oskari Mattila was trying to figure out who he was. For help, he turned to Pamela Anderson. Cory Michael Smith ("1985," "Gotham") performed his story live at the Provincetown Film Festival.

"What did it mean that the most romantic thing I’d ever been a part of hadn’t even happened to me?" Chloë Grace Moretz ("The Miseducation of Cameron Post") reads Rachel Monroe's essay about watching a love story unfold from the sidelines.

Joshua Jackson ("The Affair") reads a story about life and love after 26 months in Iran's Evin Prison. This is an encore presentation.

The challenge of finding the perfect partner is matched only by the challenge of finding the perfect parking space in New York City. Jason Alexander ("Seinfeld") reads Andy Raskin's essay, about the search for love and parking in Chinatown.

Mandy Moore ("This Is Us") reads Anna March's essay about disability, ability, and the misconceptions surrounding both.

When she was growing up, Susan Sajadi thought that her mother was fearless. It wasn't until years later that she realized the truth was much more complicated. Her piece is read by Sarah Shahi, who stars in NBC's "Reverie."

For the 13th anniversary of the Modern Love column, readers sent in their love stories, told in just 13 words. More than 9,000 were submitted. We put together an episode featuring some of our favorites.

Constance Wu of the ABC comedy "Fresh Off The Boat" reads a story about a wife, a mother-in-law and the unlikely story that brought them together.

Saoirse Ronan ("On Chesil Beach") reads an essay about how a language barrier impacts the relationship between a young woman and an Iraqi doctor.

Sometimes it's the things that go unspoken in a relationship that are the most important. Andrea Jarrell found that out not long after moving to Maine with her husband -- and she writes about it in her piece, read by Kim Dickens ("Fear the Walking Dead").

Kristen Scharold was an evangelical Christian who was starting to look for a husband. Then, a new relationship caused a crisis of faith. Rachel Weisz ("Disobedience") reads Kristen's essay.

After Stephanie Saldaña moved to an ancient monastery in Syria, she thought she'd found her calling. But when she met a novice monk there, she had to rethink everything. Linda Cardellini ("Bloodline") reads Stephanie's essay.

Abbi Jacobson ("6 Balloons," "Broad City") reads an essay about a carboholic who falls for a baker -- and his bread.

When you're at a bar and someone starts paying more attention to you than you expect -- how do you react? Mel Rodriguez ("Overboard," "The Last Man on Earth") reads Andy Christie's essay, about trying to navigate an unexpected flirtation.

Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman ("UnREAL") tells the story of the deep friendship between an older and younger brother.

What happens to relationships when they play out entirely over text? Krysten Ritter ("Jessica Jones") reads Sandra Barron's essay, about the miscommunications that can come with text message flirtation.