I have an old friend, a former client with whom I’ve now been close for going on 30 years. She and I visit each other probably once a month. I handled her divorce, negotiating the details of her marital settlement agreement with her then-husband.

People live longer today than they ever have in history, women longer than men, of course. Both of my own grandparents lived well into their 90s; Dad died only recently at 94. Furthermore, all three of my loved ones were cognizant.

All couples have their ups and downs, and many storms can be weathered with love and dedication to their marital commitment. Many of us (my husband of 26 years and I included) have tried (or should resort to) marriage counseling to get us back on track.