Andrew in the ’90s.

After days of trying to call and text my brother-in-law,we rang the local police

Andrew was entertaining because he never pretended to be interesting. While in his pomp he was at the heart of the party,he decided in midlife that having an organised sock drawer was more his jam.

  • Kate Halfpenny

Latest

I have been married 25 years,but these are the other greatest loves of my life

There’s a special place in our hearts for our friends.

  • Jo Stanley
A simple act of kindness can change your day.

I was about to launch into faux politeness. A $1.50 gesture from a stranger changed my mind

I was irritated and ready to unleash words full of contempt wrapped up in faux politeness. A $1.50 gesture from a stranger changed my mind.

  • Fotis Kapetopoulos

Silicon Valley made us fear friction. But what if it is the secret to a better life?

From ChatGPT to delivery apps,digital tools have supercharged our hunger for convenience,at the cost of human connection.

  • Lauren Ironmonger
A Dublin cafe in 2011,not long after Ireland’s economy crashed.

I was at rock bottom in grim Dublin when my life was turned around by an elderly stranger

The Celtic Tiger was roaring and I was on track to fulfil my journalism dream. Then an email arrived with a word that I’d not heard in years and my life was thrown into turmoil.

  • Jonathan Drennan
My lounge room was full of buckets.

My dream share house turned into a bucket-filled nightmare. It wasn’t a leak

The house seemed too nice for feral students like us with our vinyl op-shop jackets hanging in the hall and stolen street signs decorating the living room. Then the housemates moved in.

  • Damien Nowicki
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How this old practice is reviving snail mail,care of Gen Z

Pen pals and “snail mail” clubs are growing in popularity as young people seek reprieve from the endless churn of online algorithms. Ironically,TikTok is leading the trend.

  • Lauren Ironmonger
Stephen Brook (left) and Grant in 1998.

My editor rang me with urgent news. I hung up and cried in the street

This is the first piece in a summer opinion series from our writers and reporters about the year that changed them.

  • Stephen Brook

Love a chat with your barista? You could be feeding your social biome

Many of us feel lonelier than ever. But research suggests the small real-world interactions we take for granted have more value than we realise.

  • Lauren Ironmonger
Looking for the positives in your relationship sets it up for success.

Want a better relationship? Here are 15 expert tips you can use now

Relationships fail through repeated small acts more often than major,cataclysmic events. But while conflict is inevitable,small habits can help couples to maintain positive connections.

  • Joshua Coleman