Love has been a complicated presence in my life from the very beginning. My parents had been trying, unsuccessfully, to have a baby for many years. My mother was finally able to get pregnant through a procedure of collecting and injecting my father’s sperm into her womb (a procedure that was “experimental” seventy-plus years ago)....Continue reading
My wife, Carlin, and I were enjoying a wonderful dinner at the new vegan Caribbean restaurant in Willits when a friend and his wife saw us eating outside. “How’s the food here?” Henry wanted to know. “It’s great,” we told them. “It’s real, authentic, handmade, and delicious.” As we chatted they introduced us to Henry’s...Continue reading
We were planning to celebrate my 13th birthday with a dinner at my special restaurant, The Pump Room, which served my favorite dessert, a strawberry short-cake with homemade whipped cream. But the celebration was interrupted with a phone call from my uncle, Harry. “Edith, Muni escaped from Camarillo today,” uncle Harry told her. I could hear his anxiety...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: My husband is a smart guy, but pays zero attention to his health. I resent that the responsibility has fallen to me, but I don’t have much of a choice. What can I do to help him—and to keep my son from becoming just like his dad? A: Your husband is far...Continue reading
He first saw me for a vasectomy when he was in his mid 30’s. Nervous as all get out, he braved the visit, did splendidly, and was a better man for it. This experience changed him, because from then on, he felt that doctors were “OK” and could be trusted. His first real “date” with...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: My fiancée and I are both divorced, and between the two of us, there are four children from previous marriages. Mine are 7 and 5, his are 6 and 8. When my girlfriend and I first met each other’s kids, things were great—the children hit it off really well and liked hanging...Continue reading
There are many ways to have a happy, healthy family that fall outside of the traditional nuclear family unit. Today’s diverse social climate and advanced technology have expanded the definition of family, reminding us that family is a matter of love, connection and care — rather than simply blood and marriage. Children need parents who...Continue reading
“If menopause is the silent passage,” says author Gail Sheehy, “Male menopause is the unspeakable passage. It is fraught with secrecy, shame, and denial. It is much more fundamental than the ending of the fertile period of a woman’s life, because it strikes at the core of what it is to be a man.” When...Continue reading
This article was originally published at OlderBeast, whose mission is to help 40+ guys “double down” on body-and-soul health for the 2nd half of their life. Taking care of yourself, to maximize the second half of life, is a constant challenge. It keeps reappearing in different ways – no matter how healthy and motivated you are....Continue reading
I have a particular interest in preventing mid-life marriage meltdown, a problem that is becoming I increasingly prevalent today. My first marriage came to an end when I was 33 years old. We had two children and had thought our marriage would last forever. I healed the wounds of love and loss and eventually fell...Continue reading