Life

Dear Abby: It seems the children I raised and taught to write thank-you notes somehow failed to teach their children the importance of being grateful receivers. My two teenage grandchildren have never thanked me for a birthday or Christmas gift. I gave one of them a set of personalized notep…

Dear Abby: I am ashamed to admit this, but years ago I had an affair with a married man. His wife had no idea, but all of his friends knew about it. She recently left him because she met someone else, and he's not only bad-mouthing her, but also using it against her in their divorce.

Dear Abby: Ever since high school, our adult daughter has had mood swings. My wife and I thought she'd grow out of it as she matured, but she hasn't. At her request we sent her to a university far away, and we were proud that she earned her bachelor's degree. We thought independent living wo…

Dear Abby: I read that there is a suicide somewhere in the world every 40 seconds. Numbers rise at holiday time. Feeling like a child whose nose is pressed against a window, seeing others from the outside as they enjoy the warmth of the moment, can lead to thoughts of abandonment and despair…

Dear Abby: My stepson "Arnold" recently moved out, and I found a notebook he left behind that I thought I'd use. Inside was a journal entry he had made last year about someone he loved. The problem is, it's directed to another man.

Dear Abby: My wife and I have three teenagers — 18, 16 and 14. My wife cooks for them every day or buys them fast food. I always eat leftovers, which the fridge is full of. Our children refuse to eat leftovers or cook for themselves, and they insist on having a freshly cooked meal every day.

Dear Abby: Twelve years ago, I taught a boy I'll call Brandon in my first-grade class. I was very fond of him, and we had a strong connection. I knew Brandon had a tough home life and did my best to provide him a safe place in my classroom. I stayed in contact with his aunt over the years on…

Dear Abby: My mom recently passed away at 91. She had a great life and went peacefully at home in bed during the night. I took charge of her medical care and finances after Dad died 10 years ago.

Dear Abby: I have a co-worker I work closely with. Almost every day I hear her throwing up in the bathroom. It happens like clockwork. It's gotten to the point where I'm extremely concerned. Although it has been going on for years, it seems to have gotten worse.

Dear Abby: I'm in middle school. "Jill" has been my best friend for 11 years. She has always been shy, while I am outgoing. Recently, she has been hanging out with the class "ho," "Kelly," and I'm being more and more left out. Kelly is turning Jill into a slut, too. Jill isn't excited to han…

Dear Abby: My husband and I have been married for 20 years. We've had our share of ups and downs, but always managed to work our way through them. Last year, he decided he no longer wanted to be married, saying the last 20 years "were not all that pleasant" and "we have never really gotten a…

Dear Abby: My husband of 20 years, "Jerry," recently learned about an old girlfriend's death. A Facebook friend informed him about it. The message arrived late at night while I was sleeping, and he woke me to tell me the news.

Dear Abby: A month and a half ago, my boyfriend of five years proposed. We are happy and excited. Most of the wedding party are my friends from college, who are like a family to me. They have also grown very close to my fiance.

Dear Abby: I am wondering if anyone else has ever asked about this. I have had the same cleaning woman for three years. She does an excellent job and works hard. I got her the last six or seven of her clients. However, she has made little changes in the past when I'm not home.

Dear Abby: I'm a millennial, and it seems these days people stay at jobs for only a few years before moving on. That has been my experience in the past, but now I'm in a position that's fulfilling and where I am creatively satisfied.

Dear Abby: My wife, "Grace," and I have been happily married for 48 years. We're retired and enjoy an active sex life. Grace has a female friend, "Ricky," we have known more than 45 years. She's a close friend, and they often get together for lunch.

Dear Abby: I've had it up to here with my crabby next-door neighbor. She grows vegetables in her garden — squash and pumpkins at this time of year. Our properties are separated by a wire fence.

Dear Abby: Recently something has come up in my life that has pushed the shaky relationship between my girlfriend, "Linnay," and my parents to the front burner. She insists they do not like her. Because of it, she rarely speaks more than a few sentences to them and dreads going to my house t…

Dear Abby: When I was in my first year of college, my mother divorced my stepdad. "Charlie" was part of my life for 12 years, but since their divorce, she insists I have no contact with him. Charlie visits the state where I now live several times a year to see a friend and invites me to have…