In a time of crisis, it is helpful to review the basics.

The most trustworthy basic I know is the Golden Rule. An expert in the law heard Jesus debating in public, admired his answers and so asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the greatest?"

Jesus answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all ...Read more

Through March and April and on into May, millions of Americans complied with a societal shutdown so complete that the smog lifted over Los Angeles.

However conflicted we were over the details, however besieged we were by confinement and unemployment, we came together to do what we had to do to hold off COVID.

That was then.

Now, with summer ...Read more

If wide open spaces are on your radar, when the time is right, consider these destinations where horses run wild and free.

Here are five ideas that may appeal to your family.

1. Wind River Horse Sanctuary, Lander, Wyo.

Located on the Oldham family's 900-acre Double D Ranch, the sanctuary is one of three BLM eco-sanctuaries that has ...Read more

So, now I'm finally going. Promise. This goodbye has been like a Cher farewell tour, it goes on and on and on ....

Just go already, right?

After 30 years here, this will be the last time you will read my words in the Los Angeles Times.

Sure, I'll show up elsewhere, I promise that as well. After all, I have more weddings to pay for, including ...Read more

Everyone has one, that family member who posts on social media a little too frequently about the latest multi-level marketing company selling energy drinks or skincare and won't listen to reason when people tell them it's a pyramid scheme.

Eventually they get put on probation or in Facebook jail, notifications from their page muted for the ...Read more

In 1972, a Stanford University psychologist conducted a study in which young children, individually, were offered either a small but immediate reward (a marshmallow or a pretzel) or a doubled reward if they were able to wait for 15 minutes. In follow-up studies, researchers found that children who were able to postpone gratification experienced ...Read more

The husband has a "Best Grandpa Ever" hat. I happen to know that the same kids who gave him that hat also gave one just like it to their other grandpa. "Best" isn't as exclusive as it used to be.

I wonder what would happen if every grandpa wearing a "Best Grandpa Ever" hat or T-shirt ran into one another at a large gathering. Would they have a ...Read more

Many families are debating if, when and how they might travel in the weeks and months ahead. If you are pondering the possibility of air travel, here are five ideas to consider:

1. How important is the trip?

Before making final preparations for air travel, discuss the relative importance of taking the trip now. Can it wait for a few months? ...Read more

While the stay-at-home orders may be testing people's patience with their significant others, most romantic relationships are surviving and thriving in close quarters.

That's according to a new Monmouth University poll, which found that half of couples in the United States predict they'll come out of this coronavirus quarantine with a stronger ...Read more

We are opening back up here. Slowly. At the speed of a turtle. Make that a turtle in its shell, but it is happening.

Some want a faster open, some want continued closure. Some say it is time to get on with it, others would wait until the last coronavirus micron has been eradicated.

We have become a nation of armchair quarterbacks. We will all ...Read more

O Facebook, my Facebook, you multibillion-dollar social behemoth critics love to hate, where would my pandemic-panicked soul be without you at 2 a.m. when I've woken from another world-is-ending dream?

Where would I be at 10 a.m. when I realize I've not only consumed my sugar allotment for the day, but possibly my RDA of caffeine and fat, I'm ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Samantha Brown is pretty tired these days. OK, make that very tired. She's not alone.

"This is the hardest thing I've ever done, trying to do a full-time job and having a toddler home all day," said Brown, a professional fund-raiser and now full-time mom to almost-2-year-old Ethan.

Pre-COVID-19, Brown got to spend three, maybe ...Read more

Watch the TV news and every night you'll see the growing tally of coronavirus cases -- and the increasing number of people who have died from it.

Attorneys are seeing a growing interest in people who want to draft or update their wills. And online sites that help people with those documents are seeing a boost in interest as well.

"COVID is a ...Read more

We are going to need a refresher course in social graces before rejoining humanity when this virus thing cools down.

I get dressed every day, but usually in workout clothes. Workout clothes don't have zippers and waistbands. Do you know how dangerous that is?

If you saw what I wore every day, you'd think I am an exercise nut. You'd be wrong. ...Read more

Travel, around the block or to places we dream about, offers the prospect of a sensory feast.

On your next trip, whether it be close to home or beyond, encourage family members to be aware of their senses. Here are five ways to deepen the day's experience and expand awareness:

1. What do you smell?

Campfires, coffee brewing, freshly cut grass...Read more

EDGEFIELD, S.C. -- Ninety-six years full of life just couldn't go by without a celebration.

William Logue would have wanted a big funeral. He would have loved being the center of attention. He would have loved having people he loved surround him. He would have tried to feed them all.

The World War II veteran died Monday afternoon, and on ...Read more