Practicalities like death duties aside, there's no real need for a loving couple to get married any more, yet the numbers of marriages is on the increase - up five per cent, year on year. I must admit, even a divorced singleton like myself got a bit teary when I read our feature Marriage: Why Bother? in the new issue on sale now.

Brad Pitt obviously thought it was a good idea. We got the lowdown in our cover interview on how he juggles six kids, a stellar career and marriage to one of the most beautiful women on the planet.

Brad shares how he feels about his family and our dossier this month runs with this theme as we talk to the experts about families and how to survive them - how can we learn to communicate better, to find a way to make peace, let go of grudges? I share inspirational quotations from one of my favourite authors Pema Chodron, author of bestselling When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. "Be grateful for everyone," she says. "If we were to make list of people we don't like - people we find obnoxious, threatening or worthy of contempt - we would discover much about those aspects of ourselves that we can't face. By being grateful for everyone, we can make peace with aspects of ourselves that we have rejected." Now, there's a new way to look at it!

We're also looking at new ways to look at other big life obstacles - from healing depression with poetry and fighting sexism with comedy. It's a great issue.

I hope you enjoy it.

Suzy x