Modern Love – “Finding the Magic, Just in Time (Encore)”

Host: Anna Martin
Guest: Claire Corey
Release Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode presents the remarkable love story of Claire Corey, whose journey traverses decades of longing, heartbreak, resilience, and unexpected romance later in life. Host Anna Martin revisits one of her favorite stories from the Modern Love archive, examining how love can surprise us at any age and in the most unforeseen circumstances— even in the midst of mortality. Claire’s narrative is at once poignant and joyful, offering listeners a meditation on hope, acceptance, and the “magic” we crave in relationships.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Childhood Dreams of Love

• Growing up as the eldest of seven on a Montana farm, Claire dreamt of romance from a young age, imagining her future husband as she gazed at the moon from her couch-bed in a crowded trailer.
  • Quote: “I envisioned that somewhere out there under that same moon, was the man for me.” (01:22, Claire)

2. Early Heartbreaks

• Claire became engaged to Roger after college, only for him to call off the wedding unexpectedly, claiming later, “We were missing the magic.”
  • Quote: “He said, do you know what we were missing? … We were missing the magic. We didn’t have the magic.” (07:42, Roger via Claire)
• She then met Don at a professional training, which sparked a brief romance described as her “best days.” But distance and life led them to drift apart.

3. Letting Go and Choosing Herself

• After a series of relationships and heartbreaks, Claire focused on her career and self-fulfillment, coming to peace with a single life.
  • Quote: “It felt like I had been beating my head against a wall for years trying to…make this relationship thing happen…Why are you beating your head all the time? …you’re missing living. You’re missing life itself.” (11:57, Claire)
• She describes coming to terms with being single: “Everything I let go of has claw marks all over it.” (13:12, Claire)

4. A Life-Changing Diagnosis

• At 52, Claire was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, later progressing to stage 4.
  • Quote: “What happened was my life went from looking a decade or more ahead to looking a day at a time.” (15:40, Claire)
• The diagnosis taught her profound appreciation: “I have fallen in love with Life itself…I’m willing to fight for it with all I got because I just. I love it so much.” (19:02, Claire)

5. The Most Unexpected Turn: Romance Returns

• Years after accepting her single status and amid cancer treatment, Claire reconnected with Don—the same Don from her past.
  • A chance dinner led to her inviting him to a Christmas party, marking the start of renewed affection and support.
  • Quote: “At the most unexpected time in my life, when I don't feel good about my body and I cannot imagine that anybody is going to find me attractive…Suddenly and very unexpectedly, I did find romance again.” (22:23, Claire)

6. Building a New Relationship—Mortality and Magic

• Their relationship blossomed in parallel with her cancer journey. They moved beyond old fears, with Don committing to move closer and support Claire.
  • Their budding romance included whimsical moments (fixing up his new house, “mortuary dates”) and everyday tenderness.
  • Quote: “I was putting up a shower curtain in his vacant bathroom on Valentine's Day… But that is exactly what happened.” (27:33, Claire)

7. Love, Loss, and the Present Moment

• With uncertain timeframes ahead, Claire and Don focus on the joy of the present.
  • Quote: “It's not like we're building a relationship to last through decades, because we're not likely to have decades. And so really, it's about today.” (36:58, Claire)
• They savor simple “normal couple things,” like sharing meals and sunsets.
  • Quote: “We've seen some beautiful sunsets together and watched the moon rise…Just a very new experience for me.” (37:44, Claire)

8. Facing Death with Grace, Not Fear

• Claire reflects openly on mortality, drawing strength from the community of others who live with (and die from) metastatic breast cancer, committed to approaching her end with grace for the sake of her loved ones and herself.
  • Quote: “I hope that I can do it gracefully. And I hope that, well, geez, I really hope that I won't disappoint anybody and let anybody down, because I really do want to keep living.” (40:42, Claire)

9. Full Circle: Reading Her Modern Love Essay

• Claire reads the essay that first introduced her story; written before Don’s return, it’s now layered with new meaning.
  • Quote:
    “Once I came within weeks of marriage before it abruptly fell apart. He said we were missing the magic. And admittedly, he was right…
    I’m now 59 with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. I still don’t have a partner, but I’ve fallen desperately in love with life. Exquisite beauty emerges everywhere…
    Not yet, I whisper to the heavens. I love it here.” (41:21, Claire reads her essay)

Notable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• “We were missing the magic. We didn’t have the magic.” – Claire recounting Roger’s words (07:42)
• “Everything I let go of has claw marks all over it.” – Claire on surrendering expectation (13:12)
• “I have fallen in love with Life itself.” – Claire after her terminal diagnosis (19:02)
• “At the most unexpected time in my life… I did find romance again. And it happened to be Don.” (22:23)
• “He wasn’t here yet. And he said, look, could you go pick up the keys for me?... I was putting up a shower curtain in his vacant bathroom on Valentine’s Day.” (27:17 – 27:33)
• “We didn’t have a conversation on the bench, but I felt it and I knew it… And I said, well, let’s just see if we can make it 90 days.” (30:01 – 30:33)
• “It’s not worth it to walk around with a closed heart.” (34:39, Claire)
• “It’s way more fun than I actually thought.” – Claire on sharing everyday life with Don (36:18)
• “It’s about today.” – Claire on being present in love (36:58)
• “Not yet. I whisper to the heavens. I love it here.” (41:36, reading from her essay)
• Update: “Don is the home of my heart.” (43:35, Claire via Anna Martin)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Early Dreams & First Heartbreak: 01:22 – 09:39
• Letting Go / Acceptance of Singlehood: 10:17 – 14:39
• Cancer Diagnosis and New Perspective: 15:29 – 20:14
• Unexpected Romance with Don: 22:23 – 34:39
• Present-Moment Love / Facing Mortality: 36:13 – 40:42
• Reading the Modern Love Essay: 41:21 – 42:37
• Host’s Update (Claire and Don Married!): 43:13 – 43:35

Tone & Takeaway

Warm, open-hearted, and refreshingly candid, this episode is a testament to the irrevocable hope in human hearts and the many forms magic can take. Claire’s story urges listeners to value self-acceptance, presence, and the subtle beauty of everyday life, while also remaining open to the surprises love may still deliver—no matter when, or how, it arrives.

For listeners seeking hope, comfort, and proof that it is never too late for magic, this episode offers just that—right on time.