I am, blissfully, not yet in perimenopause, but many of my friends are, and it seems as hellish as reported. But there’s something else about perimenopause, too: the loneliness. Today, Jen McGuire hits the nail on the head with her piece. It’s the loneliness of the “small erasures” that women of a certain age deal with on the daily. And it’s the loneliness of the hidden – and not so hidden – pain women go through.

Read it, and weep. Or at least give that friend a hug.

I really love this heartbreaking piece written by an anonymous mom. In it, she describes being ready to be a part of the “sandwich generation” – you know, the millions of Americans who are taking care of both their aging parents and young kids. But her parents did something unexpected: They ghosted her after she defended her sister in a family fight. This piece grapples with her decision, as well as theirs, and what it means for her future.