ArcaMax

Dear Annie: I've been helping my neighbor with errands and yard work ever since his wife passed last fall. He's 82, lives alone and doesn't have any close family nearby. At first, it felt good to help -- and I still care about him -- but lately, it's gotten overwhelming.

He's started calling me daily, asking me to pick up groceries, sit with ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband, "Mark," and I have been married for six years. For the most part, things are good between us, but there's one recurring issue I can't get past. Mark's ex-wife, "Tina," is still very involved in his life -- not in a co-parenting way, since they don't even have kids, but socially. She calls him every few weeks or so, ...Read more

Her phone call startled me. The distraught woman on the other end spoke in rapid-fire sentences, most of them half-finished. Every word was confused, jumbled. But after some time, it became clear that her husband of 30 years was leaving the marriage. He wanted to live alone. In a way, he had already gone; they hadn't had sex in a year, and the ...Read more

Dear Annie: Your column is a regular part of our home, and I truly appreciate the compassion and insight you bring to readers' questions. I would like to gently offer another perspective, one that may sometimes be overlooked when people write in about the emotional withdrawal of a spouse, parent or longtime friend.

In some cases, what appears...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I are the proud grandparents of two beautiful granddaughters. "Lila" is 20 months old and the daughter of our son "Michael" and his wife, "Emily." "Sophie" is 10 months old and the daughter of our other son "Daniel" and his wife, "Grace."

We love both girls dearly and feel so fortunate to have them in our lives. But...Read more

Dear Annie: I need advice on how to deal with a former fiance. We dated for nearly a year before getting engaged, but the engagement lasted only a few months. Once we were engaged, he began laying down expectations for our future: dinner on the table at 5, how many children we would have, even which promotions I should turn down at work. I am ...Read more

I've spent most of my career as a freelance writer being a generalist. You don't delve too much into one subject because, really, you can find an expert on a topic who would love to rattle on with acronyms for at least a solid hour.

It's been one of the privileges of journalism to meet with people who believe in your capacity to share their ...Read more

Dear Annie: My 23-year-old son graduated from college two years ago and has been unemployed ever since. He earned a degree in a competitive field but has not had any luck landing a job in his chosen profession. While we understand that finding the right opportunity can take time, we are growing increasingly concerned.

He refuses to consider ...Read more

Dear Annie: I met my husband three years ago, about eight months after he lost his first wife of 20 years. Their marriage was often toxic, and she was very abusive toward him. After she passed, he was ready to move on.

Right away, I knew something wasn't right with my husband. In his mid-50s, he was having short-term memory issues, falling ...Read more

Dear Annie: My best friend recently started dating someone new, and ever since, she's become distant. We used to talk daily; now I'm lucky if she texts back within a week. When we do hang out, he always tags along, even for things we used to do just the two of us.

I'm happy she's found someone she likes, but I miss our friendship. I tried ...Read more