Family Matters

A MeToo memory leads a mother and daughter to connection and healing. Read more

A shared sense of humor can help couples make heavy issues feel lighter. But what happens when there’s no one there to get the joke? Read more

Whether as playmate, protector, or tormentor, a big sister looms large in the imagination of her younger sibling. Read more

Sometimes you learn your most important life lessons from the person who most frustrates and disappoints you. Read more

When you’re young, a car isn’t just a car—it can be a freedom machine. Read more

To my mother, who inherited the holiday after my grandmother's death, producing the seder was nothing short of a colossal chore—a feeling she'd communicate... Read more

Sometimes family legacies can stir up complicated feelings and outright conflict. Read more

Confronting grief in a laundromat. Read more

A man learns shocking news via Facebook about an old flame, which brings back romantic memories of his youth. Read more

A whirlwind romance turns into a troubled relationship. Read more

In search of the stories that can bind a family together. Read more

Does sharing DNA with a total stranger automatically make him family? Read more

There comes a time in many families when there’s no choice but to face decisions that test the heart. Read more

After a lifetime of conflict, a son faces the question of what he owes his mother. Read more

Can broken hearts run in a family? Read more

The life of a seemingly frail 94-year-old takes a surprising turn. Read more

Recalling a time when kids were supposed to be out of the house—and their parents’ hair—as much as possible. Read more

The joys of being the oldest guy on the team. Read more

A stepson reconsiders a long-held resentment. Read more

A son’s decision to get married is a rite of passage for the entire family. Read more

An young woman with autism celebrates a very special night. Read more

What parent doesn’t know the ache of helplessness that comes when you can’t do anything for your child but feel entirely responsible anyway? Read more

Toward the end of her life, a woman turns back the clock by performing the goofy ballet of her youth. Read more

A son remembers a distant father and the bittersweet ritual that bonded them. Read more

A young child’s bedroom is a place for magic and enchantment. Read more

Jim and I just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary by taking a trip to the Pacific Northwest. We travel differently than many of our friends, avoiding... Read more

Sorting through his mother’s personal files in the wake of her dementia, a son discovers more than he expected. Read more

Sometimes chance encounters can change a life. Read more

It’s never too late to change your story Read more

A daughter marvels as her mother goes from grief to an exuberant rebirth. Read more