ArcaMax

Dear Annie: After 32 years of marriage, I still battle daily with what the truth is. My husband, who I have been with since I was 17 (over 36 years), had the "shining star syndrome."

Many of his co-workers found him to be their go-to guy when having relationship troubles in their lives. Only after being told by some female co-workers who were...Read more

Dear Annie: How much is appropriate to share in the workplace when it comes to personal matters?

In general, my husband and I get along fine. Recently, we ended up in some disagreement over not-so-important matters. Words were said that would have been better left unsaid. We were both angry. I was not proud of it. Later, I apologized.

He ...Read more

Dear Annie: I was in a nine-month relationship up until about a month ago. Without going into a lot of detail, the guy I was seeing decided to ghost me without any warning. We had a great conversation on Thursday, and then on Friday morning, he blocked my calls, emails, etc.

I have no idea what happened. Later that Thursday night, I had ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been with my significant other for almost three years now. We live together and have a pretty good life. I have a child from a previous relationship who's in high school. My significant other has no kids, but he is very involved with extracurricular activities and is a perfect example of a parent. When we first met, I was ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm struggling with a situation I can no longer handle. My husband has a long history of periodically "falling ill" with mystery illnesses the doctors treat as minor everyday issues, but which inevitably result in his being unable to function. He is not able to work, help with chores, attend family functions or care for our kid. It...Read more

Dear Annie: I enjoy reading your column in the Indianapolis Star. Today, I read the column, "How Do I Tell My Kids Our Dog Died?" I believe you were right on target when you wrote that one should avoid saying that the pets just went to sleep. After that suggestion, though, I think your answer fits into a narrow theological belief.

My ...Read more

Dear Annie: My son and his family have shut me out of their lives. It has gotten to the point where, when I see them in public, they turn away. There was never any big blowout; they just stopped coming around or talking to me.

I have apologized to them for whatever I did. I tried calling them on the phone. I've written letters and sent them ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am a 52-year-old man who came to this country when I was 15. I met this friend, "Tom," when I was in high school, and I spent a lot of time at his house when I was 16.

His mom, "Diane," was very kind to me, and she was 39 years old at the time. She would take me home after a visit. One night, when she was taking me home, she ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've known my friend for nine years. We dated for about two years and then broke up. We were back and forth with each other, so we decided in 2016 that we would get married, but then we ended the relationship again. We remain friends.

Toward the end of 2019, "Edward" got seriously sick. He was so sick that he had two operations ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a child with a woman who is 20 years younger than me. Having a child was not planned. I'm grateful for our child, but I'm not in love with her mother. I've tried to explain to her that I love her for the mother she is but that I'm not in love with her.

She found old letters in my closet from an ex that I was in love with ...Read more

Dear Annie: My mother died at the age of 67 from COVID-19 in January. My stepfather wanted to wait a year to have the memorial so everyone could attend. Since my mother's death, my stepfather has remarried. Yup, remarried. And now his new wife has moved into the house.

My stepfather is now saying everything in the house is his and is being ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm currently in recovery. I have had two years of being clean and sober, after 13 long, miserable years of addiction. I have a full-time job that I love and am advancing, in my own place, and just live a good, "normal" life. I am quite happy in my current state and have made peace with my past. I've realized it was a tough lesson ...Read more

Dear Annie: In the 12 years since my first child was born (and two more children followed), our military family has yet to actually celebrate Christmas in our own home because we are always traveling to our families' homes, lest we hear from hurt grandparents bemoaning our absence.

Thus, every December, we have to balance the competing ...Read more

Dear Annie: My sister and I have an older brother. We had a falling out with him several years ago and have not spoken to him or his wife since.

My sister and brother both live within five miles of our mother. Our mom was not part of the falling out. She was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago and lost her driving privileges over a year ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am a single mom of four wonderful boys, two of whom are teenagers. I try my best to be good about discipline, and I take away their internet privileges when they don't do what is expected of them or when they stay up too late playing games online or chatting with friends.

My two oldest sons also have phones, which I confiscate ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am 65 years old. I am divorced, and my children are out on their own. I made sure they had a decent life. I have an associate degree and am lacking four classes to finish out my bachelor's degree.

I have found myself at a crossroads. I would like to work for a few more years. I am taking a coding class, but I don't think that is...Read more

Dear Annie: About five years ago, my nephew, who was working in a foreign country, married a local woman. They visited my nephew's father in the U.S. a few times. During one visit, I gave my nephew's wife a brooch that belonged to my grandmother to welcome her to the family. She's a lovely young woman, and I wanted her to feel comfortable, ...Read more

Dear Annie: My 20-year-old daughter, "Jessica," was adopted when she was 2 by her mom and her first husband, and I adopted her when she was 15. She decided to reach out to her birth mother in a very small town with very limited opportunities last February, and then she moved across the country to be with her in April.

This broke my wife's ...Read more

Dear Annie: I find your column to be informative and entertaining.

One subject that emerges often is the grieving of a loved one. I agree that acknowledging and allowing loss is an individual process and our pace should not be judged by others, except in the matter of compassion and support.

My personal concern is with grieving the loss of a...Read more

Dear Mothers: Thank you so much for loving your children unconditionally. May your letters comfort any child who doesn't feel completely loved and accepted by their parents for any reason.

Dear Annie: I am writing to you in response to "Riley," the gay teen who wrote to you because, since his coming out as gay, his parents have decided that ...Read more