My New Year’s took an unexpected turn, shaped by two events—one intensely personal and the other happening halfway around the world. In Australia, the state of Queensland was slammed with floods affecting an area twice the size of California. Closer to home, my mother-in-law died peacefully during an afternoon nap, and I spent New Year’s Day at her funeral. Both events have me thinking about family—what they need in times of crisis, and especially how to extend that family care to the places where we live. Read More…