Family

A few years ago, I decided to interview my mother about her relationship with my deceased dad. Enough time had passed, we shared more funny stories than sad ones. Since we lived 2,000 miles apart, we scheduled an hour most Sunday mornings…

I watched my in-laws’ tidy bedroom closets fill with suitcases and clothes after each of their parents died. Add to this the odd table, chairs, hutches, and antique Victrola that migrated to the basement family room, which transformed into a maze…

As a parent over 60, you may have thought your relationship with your adult children was solid and unbreakable. However, estrangement can happen to anyone, regardless of age or circumstances. If you find yourself estranged…

Many of us whose children have entered their 30s are still waiting to become grandparents. We understand that our kids have every right to make their own decisions about when and whether to become parents. If they never want to have children…

My neighbor, Heidi, recently told me, “I’ve forgiven my mother, but I won’t go to her funeral.” My friend Lynne has not communicated with her mother in 30 years. She occasionally trolls for a death certificate because, as the only child, there might be something…

I am not a good bed partner. Well, maybe I should say that I have never been a good sleeping partner. I need full and absolute possession of the bed. I move, I squirm, I sigh and sometimes, I am told, I even snore. I dream a lot. I wake up early and often during the…

Things don’t always turn out as expected. More often than not, I think, the expectations were probably too optimistic in the first place and the surprise is an unwelcome one. This is a lovely story of the reverse…

It’s no secret that the process of separating from a partner and starting a new life alone can be daunting, overwhelming, and scary. The fear of the unknown can create an endless list of worries, doubts, and concerns that can make it difficult…

I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like I see women wearing hats much anymore. As a child, we once lived with my grandmother for about six months while our house was being built and my favorite thing to do was play in her hat closet…

I have never hidden the fact that I am happily married. My husband and I very much enjoy each other’s company. We talk a lot and laugh a lot. And each is the go-to person when either of us want to discuss some problem – large or small…