love

Economic setbacks can drive a couple apart or bring them closer together.

Sometimes kids feel so wise. Or at least incredibly clear-minded and perceptive. Say for instance my husband and I are, um, debating over something at home, an interjection from them—Mommy and daddy, you should say sorry to each other for not being nice!—can stop us cold.

A recent story at Time.com — "Do You Love Your Stuff Too Much? Maybe It's Because No One Loves You" by Meredith Melnick — explores the results of a new study that set out to determine whether we substitute material possessions for love, and whether people who have lots of love in their life actually value possessions less.

I recently interviewed a lovely couple for a story I'm working on. They started dating in high school — she asked him to a Sadie Hawkins dance and he initially said "maybe" — and have been together for almost 60 years.

The other day, speed walking to an appointment to get my hair cut, I realized that I was becoming anxious over my (completely lovely) hairdresser's inevitable question: So what's going on with your love life? (The classic Bridget Jones' question.) The answer, at the moment, is zilch. Nada. Nothing.