ArcaMax

Dear Readers: Wishing you all a fun and festive Valentine's Day, filled with love and loved ones! I received this letter recently and was impressed with how well written and wise it was. What a perfect day to share it with you all.

Dear Annie: My wife, "Patsy," and I have been married for 50 years, each one better than the last. Perhaps your ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been retired for three years and recently moved away from our kids. Between us, we have six children, but only one that takes advantage.

My husband's daughter is in her mid-30s and has always used him like an ATM machine. This used to be merely annoying, but now it is becoming destructive to our finances. We ...Read more

Dear Annie: I really need help. I'm a 28-year-old woman living in New York City. For the past three years, I've been in a committed relationship with my boyfriend, "Charles." He's 31, works in tech and is super ambitious. We met in college, and while we've always gotten along well, I've started to notice some major differences between us as we...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been struggling with marital problems ever since he proposed. Before that, we got along well, but things took a turn for the worse after the engagement. His ex-wife is constantly causing drama, and whenever I try to stand up for myself, the situation gets twisted, and I'm the one blamed. My husband usually ...Read more

Dear Annie: Last week, I was caring for a patient named "Mr. Thompson," who had come in with severe back pain. After completing my initial assessment, his daughter, "Sally," arrived and immediately demanded that I give her father "the strongest pain meds you've got." I explained that we had protocols to follow and that the doctor would need to...Read more

Dear Readers: Many of you wrote in about the "Tossed Kittens" column and told me where I missed some points. I appreciate the feedback and want to share a few of these letters:

Dear Annie: I was horrified to read about the woman who abandoned three kittens in the wild, especially after they had been socialized. There were so many alternatives...Read more

Dear Annie: I value your advice and would like your opinion. I recently had hip replacement surgery. I now have mobility issues and cannot perform many tasks that I could in the past. I cannot walk now without a walker.

I had a friend who I thought was a close friend. We live about half a block from each other. In the past, when she had ...Read more

Dear Annie: My sister, "Laura," and I have always been close, but ever since she got engaged, there's been a bit of a distance. She's constantly busy with wedding planning, and when we do talk, all she wants to discuss is flowers, seating charts or her bachelorette party. I'm happy for her, but at a certain point it feels like she has ...Read more

Dear Annie: I recently attended my stepson's wedding. My husband and his ex-wife were announced as mother and father of the groom as they entered the wedding reception together.

His ex thought nothing of taking my husband's arm as they entered. Meanwhile, I'm sitting at our table by myself as this is happening. My husband and I have been ...Read more

Dear Annie: My name is Jess, and I've always prided myself on being the "steady one." I have a good job as a marketing manager, a wonderful husband named "Fred," and a life that feels stable and predictable. On paper, everything looks perfect. But lately, I can't shake this persistent, nagging feeling that something is missing.

Growing up, my...Read more

Dear Annie: I've always been the person who people turn to for support -- friends, family, even co-workers come to me when they need advice or a shoulder to lean on. And while I genuinely love helping others, I'm starting to realize I don't have anyone I can turn to when I need the same kind of support.

I'm not sure if it's because I've built...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband has always seemed "old for his age." For years, I managed the household while he worked full-time, but when he retired, I expected him to pitch in more with chores. That expectation has become our biggest source of conflict. He struggles to keep up with my energy, and I feel like he holds me back. I've grown bitter. I ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been in an eight-year relationship that now seems to be ending, largely due to issues with my partner's daughters. They've become disrespectful and jealous, and one has crossed serious boundaries by stealing from me and sabotaging our relationship.

Over the past year, I've been struggling with a mental health condition, which...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband, "Mark," and I have been married for eight years, and we have a good relationship. We've always butt heads a little bit about his mother, but recently we have started really clashing over her. She's always been a little overbearing, but lately, it feels like she's trying to control our lives. She'll drop by unannounced, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a brother-in-law that I need help with but don't know where to turn. He's a hoarder. The house he lives in belonged to his parents, but it is now full of junk and he does nothing to keep it clean. He has purchased several items and his garage is overflowing so the new items are left in their boxes outside.

He had a good job...Read more

Dear Annie: I've learned something surprising over the years as a step-parent: Holidays don't have to be confined to specific dates. In our family, Christmas Eve is just as special as Christmas Day, and we've even repeated Thanksgiving on the Friday after, with leftovers and a fresh pie. We've also started alternating years for who gets which ...Read more

Dear Annie: My relationship with my mother has been deeply strained since my grandmother's death five years ago. My mother and I were her primary caregivers, and I loved my grandmother dearly. After she passed, I endured severe verbal and emotional abuse from my mother's brother, who has a history of anger issues and domestic violence. Despite...Read more

Dear Annie: I am hopelessly in love with my best friend and have been for most of our lives (we've been friends since childhood). Over the years, there have been moments when it felt like we were moving toward being together, but it never progressed. We currently live together and share almost every aspect of our lives but don't even sleep in ...Read more

Dear Annie: I would appreciate it if you'd consider helping me figure out an answer to a question I am so tired of being asked, which is, "Why haven't you gotten married?"

I am a 65-year-old single woman who has accomplished a lot in life. I've contributed to society and volunteered. I'm independent, self-sustaining and have never been ...Read more