“Nothing makes me madder – or sadder – when I hear the phrase ‘failed marriage,’” writes Meg Raby today. “I didn’t fail when it came to ending my marriage. Our marriage didn’t fail, either. The marital relationship with my ex husband was simply over – it had run its course, taught me what I needed to be taught, and provided me with tools and insights on how I wanted to live the rest of my life. It didn’t fail, but acquaintances on down to random moms I meet say it did.”

Well, she’s making the case that they’re wrong, and it just might change your perspective. At the very least, it’ll make you watch your words a little more closely. Hear her out.

Kelly Faircloth, Executive Editor

Here in New York, we’re about to have our seventh straight rainy weekend. That’s after a broiling hot summer and, before that, a winter where it never snowed enough to sled. And Janine Annett has had enough: “Once upon a time, in a distant galaxy (i.e., a time and place before I had a child), this might not have had much of an impact on our weekend plans. If it rained, we could just sleep in late, maybe watch a movie, or catch up on some reading. But now? It’s problematic.” Amen to that.