We wandered down the winding streets of St Albans, just outside London, past centuries-old whitewashed cottages nestled together in charming disarray. I had been looking forward to this day, our one day in the country before Tim and I boarded a European cruise, and a chance to reconnect with friends whom we hadn’t seen in years. While Tim and Stan meandered ahead toward our destination, Helen and I strolled slowly together over cobblestones worn smooth by generations of footsteps. We stopped...

It was supposed to be the perfect start to a relaxing summer weekend. I left the grocery store Friday afternoon with a smile, anticipating a leisurely dinner with friends who were stopping by to visit with Tim and me on their annual trek from Chicago to the Delaware beaches. “Oh no!” I gasped, spotting my car in the parking lot. There, glistening in the sun, was my silver sedan — with an unfamiliar, smashed-in driver side corner, bumper hanging from its brackets. I ran over to examine...

The other evening, Tim and I sat at the table with our respective laptops. I let out a heavy sigh. Tim looked up. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Oh,” I said, “I was just checking the headlines. I feel like I have to brace for impact whenever I check the news these days.” I'm still trying to find that elusive balance between being informed and wanting to jump off a ledge. Between wars, political drama, economic uncertainty, and the relentless barrage of information coming at us every day, ...