Dear Annie: I read your column all the time. I was married to a wonderful woman for 27-plus wonderful years until she passed last year.

Dear Annie: I have been married to my second husband for 40 years, and we are both in our 80s and not in the best of health. My problem is extended visits from my sons — one son lives in Asia, and the other lives across the other side of the U.S.

Dear Annie: My husband and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary this year. Here’s the problem: I caught him sleeping with a friend of ours three years ago at our home while I was at work.

My mother-in-law has been diagnosed with cervical cancer back in our home country. My husband planned to pay all the expenses ...

Since we have been married, my husband tends to tell his sister and mom information before me.

Dear Annie: I recently got married — in April of this year. This past July, my husband and I visited his family on a camping trip at an oceanside campground. My husband had his bathing suit on, but I needed to change into mine.

I've been with a guy for over four years now. Things were great in the beginning, but now ...

Dear Annie: I’m turning 50 this year and plan on having a large party. Last year at my birthday, I told both my sisters that I was having this party and expected them to come. They both agreed to come.

Dear Annie: My father-in-law has been living with us for the past two years, as he is in the process of buying a new house. The housing market has been tough, and it’s taken longer than expected. What was at first going to be a six-month stay has extended well beyond.

Dear Annie: I have two daughters, and they have children. I had to move to a different state because my children thought my life should solely be about my grandchildren. I’m still in my 40s.

Dear Annie: I’m close to my nephews, one of whom recently married. The year before the wedding, during its planning, I told the couple that I would like to gift them their honeymoon to their choice destination as their wedding present.

Dear Annie: On Father's Day of 2022, we were returning home from my son's house when a car coming in the other direction crossed the center line and hit our vehicle head on. The driver of the other vehicle was 83 years old.

Dear Annie: About 25 years ago, my dental hygienist may have been thinking the same thoughts as “Wishing I Could Talk to Him,” the woman whose husband has bad breath, while she talked about my teeth rather than telling me the truth

Dear Annie: Let me preface this by saying that I am an animal lover, and I like dogs and cats. I grew up with dogs, but as an adult, I have become more of a cat person.

Dear Annie: I will try to tell you a short version. I was married twice and had kids with both men. You could say my “picker” for men was or is broken. Anyway, I ended up leaving both men.

Dear Annie: My husband and I welcomed our first child in March. My husband is a child of divorce and has a mother with a long history of narcissistic behaviors.

Dear Annie: I have a co-worker who, for many reasons, drives me up the wall. “Lana” is older than I am by at least 35 years and sits across from me at work. This would be fine, except she will not stop talking.

I recently turned 40 and am still speculating if I would like to have a kid or not.

Dear Annie: My husband was out of town traveling for business during our first anniversary. So I thought it would be romantic if I met him where he was staying in Washington, D.C.

Dear Annie: My sister-in-law has lived with my in-laws for four years. When she and her then-infant moved in, it was an emergency situation — leaving an abusive relationship. However, she does not seem to have plans or ambitions to move out.

Dear Annie: I don't know how to break up with my hairdresser. I have been going to him for five years and my hair has never looked better. However, during the past year or so, things have changed, and I am no longer happy with his service.

Dear Annie: I’ve noticed that in many of your responses, you recommended seeking marriage counseling. I wanted to tell you that people in abusive relationships should not get couples counseling together.

Dear Annie: I am currently married with no kids. I travel a lot for work and vacation. The issue is my wife’s sister, her husband and their kids.

Dear Annie: After 13 years, my boyfriend (he’s 49, and I’m 57) literally ghosted me for a whole week directly following a birthday party with the family at my parents’ house. There was no explanation why.

So I have one for you. I was out of town working, and when I got home, my wife was gone!

Dear Annie: I've recently entered a dating relationship, and my parents have a renewed interest in talking with me about my dating life.

Dear Annie: My recently retired husband of 43 years has agreed to take a 10-day trip with his sisters. He will be off seeing the Caribbean as I go to work each day back home.

Dear Annie: What's the proper way to deal with people who talk too much?

Dear Annie: A prominent man in my church died this past week, and his funeral was yesterday. When the church sent out an email blast to the membership announcing his passing, it gave burial information at the church cemetery.

Dear Annie: I’m a father in his 40s who has been single-parenting two kids (one preteen, one teen) for a bit under a decade now. When I began dating again, I didn’t realize how difficult it would be.

Dear Annie: Your answer to “Not Dog Tired Anymore” was great from the human point of view, but not so much from the animals’.

I have been dating my boyfriend for eight months now, though we have known each other for 12 years. ...

Dear Annie: I am struggling with how to handle my relationship with my daughter-in-law. Married for five years, with two children, we spend time with them every few weeks, usually to babysit the kids.

Dear Annie: I would like to respond to relatives who are upset when they are not thanked for giving children/teens gifts. Just tell them how you feel!

Dear Annie: I have been married to my husband for over 50 years. While we are physically unable to have sexual relations due to several health factors, I'm not missing it.

Dear Annie: My mom and I have always had a weird relationship. Throughout my childhood, I always considered us close, even when she moved hours away to the other side of the state when I was in middle school.

Dear Annie: Recently, I had a major social misstep that has essentially pushed one of my best friends out of my life. During the week of my birthday, I had a mid-30s crisis.

Dear Annie: My husband and I have a 34-year-old daughter who has lived with us all her life (except for maybe a year). She brought her freeloading boyfriend in.

Most often a cheating husband or wife causes the divorce. Most would want to end their marriage after finding their partner cheated. And most people would advise the offended partner to leave.

Dear Annie: I have a family problem for which I would appreciate your opinion.

Dear Annie: I am a retired RN, and I was interested when one of your readers wrote that if an elderly person falls, they should not be allowed to drive. I am here to tell you there is no direct correlation between falls and driving.

Dear Annie: So I'm pretty sure I know what the right answer is and you'll be shaking your head at my letter; however, I feel like I'm on this adrenaline rush.

Dear Annie: My mom has had several strokes and is now living with us. She has problems seeing out of one eye. No one else will step up to take care of her.

Dear Annie: My husband and I are low-income, but he doesn’t want his adult children to know. Sadly, he lost an enormous amount of money about 12 years ago (to bad investments) and is quite embarrassed by it.

Dear Annie: I would like to add to your advice to the mom whose 22-year-old daughter wants to move into her own apartment.

My husband, “Gary,” is unemployed. Has been for the 4-1/2 years we’ve been together....

Dear Annie: I used to be in a battle with my husband because he insisted on sleeping with our dog and cat.

Dear Annie: I have a friend who I have known since junior high (we’re now in our mid-60s). We weren’t super close friends but always stayed in touch even though we lived across the country from each other.

Dear Annie: I'm a 35-year-old woman with no children who has been happily single for over two years, keeping to myself and not dating on purpose.

Dear Annie: “Torn Between Passion and Stability” reminds me of my own story. As a college freshman, I studied accounting, which seemed the destiny of many young men like me. I found it boring and totally uninspiring.

Dear Annie: My best friend is 58 years old and recently divorced. She spent the last four years grieving terribly over her lost family life in an affluent neighborhood and is finally onto the next chapter of her life.

Dear Annie: My neighbor has started to honk her horn upon leaving for work each morning (prior to 7:30), and her husband and her children leave 10 to 20 minutes later.

My family and I have been fortunate enough to have had many wonderful vacations over the years. My wife and I have recently become empty nesters...

Dear Annie: I love your column and read it faithfully in my newspaper in Connecticut. A few months ago, I lost one of my twin daughters who was profoundly handicapped and disabled.

Dear Annie: I have a family of grandnieces and nephews who never say thank you or let you know they received their gift. They are young, and I’d blame my niece for not teaching them, but she has five children.

Dear Annie: My husband and I are very open and trusting with one another. However, I noticed he has recently been more cautious about me looking at his phone screen while he's using it.

Dear Annie: I have been married now for almost 23 years. Soon after the wedding, I found that my wife had virtually no interest in intimacy of any kind. Three therapists and many months later, the situation is the same.

Dear Annie: I’ve been with my boyfriend for 22 years. It’s been up and down, and I’ve learned to keep quiet about things that upset me. He’s never reacted well to me mentioning things or asking for help with chores.

Dear Annie: I had a chat interaction with a person on a website a year ago that sounds similar to the concerns of “Concerned Daughter,” whose 81-year-old mother was the target of an internet scam, and others who have written to you to tell of suspicious experiences online.

Wishing you all a very Happy Fourth of July. Hope you all enjoy the following poem.

Dear Annie: Please share your thoughts on this topic, which has been annoying me for some time.

Dear Annie: My husband has admitted to me he is an alcoholic. We never used to think of it that way until last summer, when he let his drinking get out of hand, and now every weekend he gets drunk.

Dear Annie: I've been married to my ex-husband for three years after 20 years of separation.

Dear Annie: My best friend lives on the opposite coast from me. We’re both women, and we share everything with each other, the good and the bad. Or so I thought.

Dear Annie: I am engaged to a very loving man who is quite the lone wolf. Former issues in his past kept him at arm’s length (at best) with his family.

I have had a friend for many years, a person who got me through some pretty rough times many years ago.

I’m 42 and, due to having epilepsy, have never been able to live on my own, without my parents. I haven’t had any kind of social life ...

Dear Annie: My spouse has become a viral social media sensation.

Dear Annie: Where do I even start with a mother like mine? She tries WAY too hard to be funny, and I usually end up being the butt of her jokes, which, as a shy introvert, I’m not crazy about.

Dear Annie: I have two step-grandchildren, a 16-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl.

Dear Annie: Last year, a friend of 50 years and I were talking about flying to Canada to meet for a trip. Prior to making any plans, I researched and found that the mask requirements were still in place for Canada.

Dear Annie: My son, who is now 50 years old, cannot get his life in order. When he was a younger child, he learned how to play the mother-against-the-father game to get what he wanted; the mother always gave in, and this did not sit well with me.

Dear Annie: I live in a nice neighborhood in a modest-sized city. This is a dog-rich environment, with most of my neighbors owning and frequently walking their dogs.

My parents both passed away in the last couple of years, with the most recent being my mother in December. She left an estranged relative in charge...

Dear Annie: The reports of teens being bullied and committing suicide are distressing.

Dear Readers: Happy Father’s Day. Below is a beautiful letter written for Father’s Day. While there is sadness, there is a wonderful message namely that love is always the answer.

Dear Annie: I have been with "Garrett" for over four years now. I have a son who is 9, and we share a daughter, 3.

Dear Annie: I’ve been friends with “Jessie” for several years, but lately, I’ve been feeling like the friendship is one-sided. I’m always the one reaching out, making plans and putting in the effort.

Dear Annie: I’m feeling torn between pursuing my dream and maintaining my financial stability. I have a job as an accountant making six figures, but it’s boring work — so boring that I dread getting out of bed every morning.

Dear Annie: I love the gym. It has really helped me gain confidence and strength. I have been going to the same gym in our small town for roughly 10 years.

Dear Annie: I don’t know where to start. It has been six years since our youngest daughter, “Emily,” has been close to us.

Dear Annie: Eight years ago, it felt like I had a mental breakdown trying to deal with all the clutter coming in our house. I told this to my wife, but her reply was to justify why she needed everything.

Dear Annie: I recently found a pair of earrings missing from my jewelry box. These earrings had belonged to my mother. My sister-in-law spoke of wanting them and felt (for some unknown reason that she herself could not express) that she deserved them.

Dear Annie: I have known one of my friends, "Pam," for more than 50 years, and at times she has been a very good friend.

Dear Annie: I lived with my husband for 50 years. We met spontaneously, and I moved in with him soon afterward. He was different from the norm. He was smart, always outgoing and had many great friends. I fell deeply in love.

Dear Annie: My daughter was 14 weeks pregnant when the baby died. The nurse midwives, who were wonderful, sent her home to have the miscarriage and told her it could take up to two weeks to “be complete.”

Dear Annie: My 81-year-old mom and I live together. I work 52 hours a week, so she is home alone a lot. She does get picked up by friends a few times a week to play bingo.

My wife and I have three perfect grandchildren, ages 1, 5 and 7. We love watching them at least one day a week. Their parents are caring and careful. But occasionally when I am just about to fall asleep, I have “waking dreams” ...

Dear Annie: When did airplane seats become so small? I hadn't flown in six years until this past spring, when I booked a flight to attend a family wedding.

Dear Annie: My youngest is set to move out of the family home in the next month or two. We don’t mind her living at home, but she needs to move out for her own peace of mind.

Dear Annie: When I was 12 or 13 years old, I had a pen pal in a different state.

Dear Annie: I have teenagers who are in multiple sports. My mother-in-law is a huge fan of sports and attends most events. She gets extremely excited about the game going on and is incredibly loud -- shouting during a majority of the game.

Dear Annie: My one sister and I took care of our parents for the last 20 years due to their poor health and dementia.

Dear Annie: My oldest son is 43. He lives in another state. He has a girlfriend that he lives with.

Dear Annie: I am one who married at 19. If “Disapproving” wants to maintain a good relationship with her daughter, she should voice her concerns but assure her daughter she trusts her judgment and will always be there for her.

Dear Annie: My daughter has two wonderful little boys, ages 2 and 1, with a man who has proven time and time again to be unfaithful.

Dear Annie: My wife is a synagogue president, which is a highly visible position. She has come across far more people than I ever have.

Dear Annie: My partner was made disabled last year and is confined to a wheelchair.

Dear Annie: I’m potentially facing an aggressive and lethal type of cancer. My former pastor and his wife were my friends, though there’s been a noticeable distance in the last year.

Dear Annie: I’ve been friends with “Ashley” for nine years, and we have supported each other through many hard life events. We hit it off immediately and are very close. Ashley has had a tough past few years.

Dear Annie: After reading the letter from “Unable to Open Up,” the gentleman who was unable to articulate his thoughts to his therapist, I wonder if writing down his thoughts would help.

Dear Readers: Many people had a lot to say in response to “Feeling Torn,” who is concerned about the prospect of the interfaith marriage. Below are some letters.

Dear Annie: I suspect my son may be gay. He is a gorgeous, smart, successful young man in his mid-20s, who has really never shown interest in girls.

Dear Annie: My boyfriend and I get along amazingly well, and we have lots of interests that we share. But I do not understand his favoritism to his 40-year-old daughter.

Dear Annie: I'm a 16-year-old girl and currently a sophomore in high school.

Dear Annie: This is about “Unsure,” who loved her job at a school but whose husband was pressuring her to find a higher-paying job so she could contribute toward college for their teenage children.

Dear Annie: My son and new wife recently eloped with a small ceremony on a Tuesday (when we all had to take off work), but most of my family was not invited.

Dear Annie: My wife and I have been together for over 13 years. She is a great person who has issues with bipolar disorder. I’ve gotten used to it, and with things being off from time to time, but I’m not sure how to handle this last situation.

I will have been married for 22 years this September, and we have been together for 26 years. But I recently discovered that ...

Dear Annie: Eleven years ago, I lost my 19-year-old daughter suddenly.

Dear Readers: Happy Mother’s Day! I hope that you feel appreciated and celebrated. A mother’s love is an unconditional love and nourishment that even a friend, teacher or someone you admire can give to you.

Dear Annie: I've been chatting with a guy online for a few weeks now — nothing serious, just light, "getting to know you" conversations, with some flirtation sprinkled in.

Dear Annie: I started seeing someone recently. “Matthew” is a perfect gentleman in many respects, but he has one habit that I find very rude and jarring: He burps, frequently, and sometimes without even covering his mouth.

Dear Annie: I come from a large family. I was the youngest of four girls, and there were several years between us. Growing up, I barely knew my two older sisters.

Dear Annie: My 19-year-old daughter — she’ll be 20 in July — is a sophomore at Charleston College.

My dad died of lung cancer a few years ago, and because of that, I abhor smoking in all its forms.

Dear Annie: My husband "Jack" has become so angry with me lately, and I don't understand why.

Dear Annie: I am 28, a college graduate, and have been told by my family and friends that I am good-looking. I am respectful of women I take out on dates; I pay for all the meals, am pleasant and interesting to talk to, and am neat and clean. However, rarely do I get a second date.

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 42 years, and he has always had strong likes and dislikes.

Dear Annie: My younger brother “Chris” moved away and got married. He and his wife, “Julie,” have a baby girl and two golden retrievers. They recently came to visit for a week, and they brought their dogs.

Dear Annie: My girlfriend and I have been in a relationship for 12 years now. We have a lot of history. I’m 54 and she is 55 now. We were best friends for a year in high school and we had a few incidents when we kissed back in the day.

Dear Annie: I am writing about an issue that I believe is affecting many couples now. The issue is pornography. My husband and I have been married for 25 years, and we had a happy marriage while raising our three children.

As a 31-year-old female who is a sober alcoholic, I’d like to offer my advice to parents of alcoholics who put their foot down ...

Dear Annie: My spouse and I live close to many members of our extended family.

Dear Annie: I love my boyfriend, but I am Catholic and he is Jewish. We have been dating for four years. My biological clock is ticking, as I am turning 29 next month.

Dear Annie: I read your column on a regular basis and completely agree with all of your advice.

Dear Annie: My husband and I have two kids, a 3-year-old and 6-month-old. My husband drives a semi, so he’s on the road and usually gone Monday through Friday.

Dear Annie: I am currently majoring in Creative Writing and English. I have a very deep passion for writing, and I would like to become a published author one day. I also have a passion for herbs and herbal medicine.

Dear Annie: How can my husband, “Steven,” make new friends in retirement? He is medically retired (blind) from work. He is a non-smoker and non-drinker. We are spiritual yet not religious. We don’t have children, and our extended families live on the other side of the state.

You recently wrote a column about a woman who was concerned because a fellow waitress was still smoking while pregnant.

Dear Annie: As a hearing-impaired person, I have some suggestions for other people who have hearing troubles, and I wanted to share them with your readers.

Dear Annie: I am a widow with a grown son and daughter. We have always been a close-knit family. However, for the last year, I have only had one visit of two hours from my daughter.

Dear Annie: My roommate, who is also my ex-boyfriend, was involved in a car accident a few months ago.

Dear Annie: I’ve been married for a long time, and we have teenagers now. When they were young, I took a full-time position working in a school so that I could be on the same schedule as them and we wouldn’t have to worry about care during the summer.

Dear Annie: My husband and I recently had a heated argument because he threw away some things that I was going to send off to family. It escalated, and as I was trying to walk away, he grabbed me by the shoulders and roughly pushed me up against the wall ...

Dear Annie: I am 41 and was adopted at birth in a closed adoption. For medical reasons, it was necessary for me to contact my birth mother to obtain information.

Wishing you all a very happy spring. Whether you just celebrated Passover, Easter or any other holiday, I do hope that you make time to celebrate spring.

Dear Annie: My cousin is getting married in November on the same day as my toddler's birthday.

Dear Annie: My husband and I divorced after 34 years of marriage. Our adopted son was 15 at the time of the divorce. We had adopted him as an infant at birth and raised him as our own.

Dear Annie: I've had the same woman, "Veronica," doing my hair for several years now.

Dear Annie: I’m a very concerned mother of a 30-year-old son, “Jesse,” who’s in an abusive relationship with his girlfriend “Adriana.” They share a newborn child together.

Dear Annie: It will soon be my 40th birthday, and I’m feeling a tremendous amount of anxiety with this pending milestone event. Intuitively, I understand that it is an arbitrary number.

Dear Annie: I’ve been seeing a therapist for around five years, and I find myself unsure what to say. My therapist will encourage me to discuss what I’m thinking; yet, I struggle to articulate it.

I have been a practicing attorney for six years. My current job as an in-house attorney was my first job out of law school. My employer was taking a big risk on me...

Dear Annie: I've seen lots of parents (or babysitters) gabbing on the phone as they push strollers or baby carriages.

Dear Annie: I have been married to my wife for 25 years, and I love her so very much. When we first met, she had two young boys, ages 2 and 7, and for the most part I helped raise them with her.

Dear Annie: When I was in high school, a friend of one of my brothers had a crush on me. I'll call him "Kurt."

Dear Annie: My ex-husband died several weeks ago in hospice. We have a daughter together who fell out with him years ago and has not seen or spoken to him in at least 10 years.

Dear Annie: I was wondering if this seems inappropriate to you. I’d love your opinion. I had been a patient at my doctor’s office for over 30 years.

Dear Annie: My husband and I moved to a different state this past summer, and there are a lot of things I am happy about, such as great schools for our kids. However, I hate our new house. With a passion.

I very much enjoyed your recent column called “Doctor Who Knows” regarding parents’ cellphone use. I’m a mom to a merry band of beautiful young children. ...

Dear Annie: I have a friend who is very social and always finding ways to bring people together, which is wonderful.

Dear Annie: As a child, it was obvious that I needed braces to correct an overbite and crowding of the teeth. Kids made fun of me all the time, and I became severely depressed.

Dear Annie: I have been going to a particular church religiously for over 30 years.

Dear Annie: I have a 40-year-old child who is transitioning from male to female. I was told of this decision by email. We haven’t had much in-person discussion about this.

Dear Annie: I am writing to you in a desperate effort to give my kids a good environment in the midst of a very turbulent marriage.

Dear Annie: I am a waitress, and there is a lady I work with who is six months pregnant. Every time she takes a break, she goes in the back and smokes cigarettes and sometimes she smokes weed.

I have a family estrangement issue. It all started when a 44-year-old woman contacted ...

Dear Annie: How much is one person supposed to take? My mother-in-law has no filter and will say anything she wants at any time, just to insult.

Dear Annie: I just wanted to let you know that I read your column for the first time today and think you gave excellent advice. You are much better than some of the other advice columns that lack empathy or understanding.

Dear Annie: Let me start off by saying I got married at 19 and divorced at 24. My ex-husband and I had three kids during this time, two females and one male.

Dear Annie: I am the adult child of divorced parents who divorced 25-plus years ago and both remarried 20 years ago. I have three siblings and three stepsiblings. My problem? Mom and her hubby are extremely cheap.

Dear Annie: My husband of 34 years has become increasingly disappointed in our 30-year-old son. He and my son have had a rocky relationship.

Dear Annie: Do you think my husband loves me? He yells at me, and in his sleep, he yells obscenities, but he says it isn’t about me. He never wants to talk or anything.

My comments critical of people using diabetes drugs for casual weight loss generated a storm of protest from clinically obese readers who had found a solution to their lifetime struggle with weight loss. ...

Dear Annie: The doctor I have gone to for years recently took a five-month medical leave of absence.

Dear Annie: I just read today’s “Second Chance Daughter” column about “putting away the bitterness, regret and anger of growing up with an abusive mom.” Her dad wasn’t much better; he deliberately never stepped forward to intervene on his daughter’s behalf.

Dear Annie: I'm a recently divorced man in his mid-60s.

Dear Readers: Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today, March 17, we remember and honor St. Patrick, the patron saint believed to have popularized Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century.

Dear Annie: I have been married to my husband for 50 years. During that time, I have been close to my husband’s family. Over the years, the family has grown, and our get-togethers have been less frequent.

Dear Annie: I am writing because I don’t know how I ended up so unhappy. Part of me is angry for letting this go on for decades, while other parts of me keep hoping my husband will see what he has — an amazing family!

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 30 years.

Dear Annie: My husband is constantly on his phone, scrolling through social media, playing video games or chatting with friends.

Dear Annie: Your reply to the couple who lost their newborn daughter on Valentine’s Day, reprinted from your 2019 column, struck a chord.

Dear Annie: I'm 63 and number eight of a Catholic family of 10. Only one sibling remains Catholic; most of us went to other churches and are now Christian.

Dear Annie: My parents divorced over 20 years ago, and each of them subsequently remarried wonderful people that my sister and I have been so fortunate to have in our lives.

Dear Annie: I just want to start by saying I love my mother-in-law. My issue is when it comes time to tell my toddler “no,” my mother-in-law just laughs, which makes my toddler laugh.

Dear Annie: I just finished reading your response to the “Mother of Little Valentine.” I am writing this with tears in my eyes.

On Valentine’s Day this year, my wife and I did nothing together. That’s because she feels hurt, and she is upset and mad at me. ...

Dear Annie: I find it incredible that so many people want to push their views on children who do not belong to their family and then pass judgment on their parents.

Dear Annie: I called a buddy of mine the other day. This is one of my best friends from college. I am trying to call my friends more. We text every day but rarely get the chance to actually hear each other’s voices.

Dear Annie: I came across your column while searching for tips on how to deal with my marital situation.

Dear Annie: I have been married for almost 20 years. My husband used to be very jealous and controlling, but we have navigated through that, and he has gotten over these issues. However, his sarcasm is cutting me to the bone

Dear Annie: I am so upset. A long-distance relative is visiting my parents. For some reason, he has taken a shine to me, but he is cruel to my sibling. He constantly makes derogatory comments about him.

Dear Readers: In a recent column, I was critical of the sudden popularity of using diabetes drugs to lose weight.

Dear Annie: I am 39 with a wife and three kids. I’m writing not about my marriage or kids but to ask for help with feelings I have toward my father that I cannot let go.

Dear Annie: I love your column, though the recent letters about abusive siblings and your responses have me concerned.

Dear Annie: I don’t have a question for you so much as a comment and suggestion for many of your readers with grown kids who don’t visit them.

Dear Annie: Over the years, I've reconnected with a high school friend who I've known since grammar school.

Dear Annie: “Still Sad’s” story is almost my story. I didn’t know I was in an abusive marriage until I got out of it. That means our two children grew up in a home where they saw and heard things that shouldn’t have been seen.

Dear Annie: I have been in a long-term relationship with my significant other for over 10 years. It started out as a long-distance relationship, but he moved in with me about eight years ago.

Dear Annie: My wife and I live overseas and have three children, all of whom live in the same city in the United States. Our youngest grandchild was born to our second son about 10 months ago.

Dear Annie: I need your advice. After our son’s divorce decades ago, he was granted full custody of his infant daughter.

Dear Annie: I am in contact with this guy who is 52 years old, and I am 58.

Dear Annie: Your advice for “Lost but Still in Love” was perfect. Being a health care professional, I had an understanding of what was transpiring when my wife started to enter pre-menopause, and I could support her during this transition into menopause.

Dear Annie: My biological family wants nothing to do with me or my new wife.

Dear Annie: I’ve noticed that you often, if not always, tell your readers to try counseling. I thought it might be helpful if your readers heard from a believer.

Dear Annie: I was hoping you could help me out with a family problem. I’m a woman in my early 20s who was adopted at age 5 by a gay couple (two men). One of them, “Eric,” is fairly kind and docile but my other “dad,” “Tom,” is another matter entirely.

Dear Annie: My husband had worked at the same company for the last nine years. A few weeks ago, they called him into an office at 4 p.m. and asked him to shut the door and have a seat. They informed him that they were letting him go.

Each Valentine’s Day, I am filled with incredible sadness. Two years ago, my husband and I were expecting our first baby girl. ...

I've been married for almost 12 years to a man who is emotionally abusive. I had made up my mind to tell him to leave, but ...

Dear Annie: I am in my ‘70s and have seven grandchildren who I love very much. I am writing because my 4-year-old granddaughter does not want to hug me, and I’m not sure what to do about it.

I married a man who earned less than me seven years ago and now collects disability. He paid for cable and electricity way back when while I covered everything else. Over the past three years...

Dear Annie: I have three children, a son and two daughters. My son resides in the same city as I do. I am a widow. We have always been a close family. However, my youngest daughter is not coming to visit as she once did.

Dear Annie: A longtime friend of mine, “Emily,” was served divorce papers right after the holidays by her husband, “Matt,” after a fairly short and seemingly rocky marriage.

Dear Readers: The letter “Calling It Quits” about coping with an unreasonable sibling — who the parents insist must be placated — generated an intense response from readers. Here are two interesting examples...

I lived a parallel childhood with the pain of an extremely abusive mother and a father who buried his head in the sand.

Dear Annie: This in in response to the writer who said she was only invited to the shower but not the wedding.

Dear Annie: My sister, “Claire,” is getting married this summer and has lost weight by getting injections of drugs for diabetes. Claire might have had a little padding, but I never thought of her as being fat.

Dear Annie: My daughter, "Melanie," now 34, dated a boy when she was 15. It only lasted a few months.

Dear Annie: My son has left home several times in the past, only to return because he can’t seem to get his life together. A year ago, my husband died, and my live-in son, his wife and their baby stayed to “look after me.”

Dear Annie: At the end of 2015, I decided to end my marriage of 30 years. My ex made the divorce very long and he tried to financially destroy me. He involved our daughter and son and turned them against me.

Dear Annie: Each year, I send my sister’s three adult children gifts. The youngest does not thank me unless prompted. My two questions are: Isn’t this rude? And should I cease sending her a gift?

I never thought I would need to reach out for advice regarding my marriage, but here I am. I’ve been with my wife for 12 years. ...

Dear Annie: I found the letter concerning college students who decided on careers too early to be very interesting.

Dear Annie: Recently, my 25-year-old son, “Bill,” decided to no longer be a dad to his 4-year-old son, “Greg.” We had taken Bill back into our home after he and his ex-girlfriend, “Andrea,” broke up.

Dear Annie: I'm a 32-year-old single woman facing a predicament. I've been friends with a guy named "Stan" for a few months, though we haven't actually talked in over a month now.

Dear Annie: I am writing in response to “Helpless,” the man who moved his family out of state and is now upset that his cheating ex has a close relationship to his relatives back home.

Dear Annie: My husband confided to me that his mother had an eating disorder in the past, and there are possible signs she may have relapsed. When she visits us, she will exercise for hours daily, regularly disparage her physical appearance and skip meals.

Dear Annie: After dating a guy who turned out to be a narcissist, my question is, how can I heal? I’ve tried everything, and I’ve even felt like I’m over it and I’m OK, but then I have my days. It’s like grieving.

Many of you suggested treatments for “Pooped Out and Sad in the South,” which was the letter from the grandmother who was concerned about her grandson’s difficulties in having bowel movements.

Dear Annie: I am at an impasse. On the one hand, I want to keep fighting for my three-person family of 18 years, but on the other hand, I wonder if staying is doing more harm than good for our daughter of 17.

I am struggling with what to do about one of my very best friends who is basically family to me at this point. Throughout our friendship, I have noticed that she does not say “thank you” very often.

Dear Annie: I see that you often answer questions pertaining to families trapped in addiction.

I have been reading your column in my local newspaper for a long time. Earlier this year, I sent a note to you about losing my wife and how my friends reacted. Never would I have thought that I would be sending you another note. But here I am.

My dad is and has always been controlling and domineering. And my mom just exists and really believes it is her job to just be submissive. (These are people married since the 1950s.)

I’ve read a few letters in your column in which parents wrote about two of their children arguing and wanting there to be peace. And in all of the replies, you have advocated building back the relationship.

Here’s my dilemma: I moved back into my dad’s house several years ago, and he has been good friends ...

Dear Readers: Wishing you all a very happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please enjoy this excerpt from one of the most famous American speeches ever made.

I’m just heartbroken. My son moved out last year, and he never talked to me about anything before he moved. We were so close, and we always talked. But all of a sudden, he packed up and moved out with no explanation.

Dear Annie: My stepson said many nasty, derogatory, hurtful things about his recently deceased father.

My spouse and I are in our 70s, with numerous health issues. We decided we needed to sell our large home and move to something easier to maintain. We made the mistake of hiring the younger brother (“Jim”) of our best friend and neighbor “Jane.”

We live across the street from a married couple — man and woman — who have a 16-month-old girl. Every time they get her out of the car, no matter what the weather is, they have nothing on her head.

My husband and I have been married for almost 29 years. We have three grown children, two granddaughters and a third grandchild on the way. My dilemma is that although we have been married so long, we have had more downs than ups, especially this past year.

Many of you were touched by the husband “Anonymous,” who wrote a letter about the loss of his wife to the disease of alcoholism. She is still alive...

Dear Annie: I want to thank you for your response to the man who wrote to you concerning getting closure with the father who had abused him.

Recently, during a visit from my 50-year-old son, I was bullied, threatened, taunted and treated cruelly by him. I don’t know why. I responded indignantly while my husband said nothing.

Dear Annie: One of my good female friends graduated from a rival college of mine.

I have been with a man off and on for seven years. He is my best friend, and I can’t live without him. A few years ago, he stole my stimulus check of $1,200, and he brought other women home.

I moved to Florida from Oklahoma to be near my son and sister after my husband passed away from cancer. Hurricane Ian destroyed my home, and I have been unable to find a new place to live, either buying or renting here in Florida.

Kids today are pushed too early to make career decisions. The first two years of college are a good time to take different courses to see where one’s interest lies.

I am a 19-year-old woman who can’t stop thinking about this guy, “Charles.” He has been picked on for his appearance, but I think he has pretty eyes and nice hands, plus a knack for singing.

Dear Annie: If you are invited to a wedding shower, should you always be invited to the wedding?

Dear Readers: Wishing you all a very happy new year.

Dear Annie: Well, here we are. It is that special time of year: The holiday season is nearly through and New Year's is once again upon us.

I worked part time for good friends now over 20 years ago. The wife was in charge of the medical office; her husband was a doctor whom my husband and I had known way before she met and married him.

was married for 17 years to a woman who I thought would be my only wife. Toward the end, I tried to move our family out of state, away from all the things that were causing the issues (including her cheating).

I could’ve written the letter from “Divorce Ambivalent” many, many years ago when our three children were young. My husband was busy with his career, and he loved sports. He was a good father but often did what he wanted to do on weekends.

My daughter and son-in-law moved from Pennsylvania, where I live, to North Carolina to be close to his family. They moved without giving me any real notice. I did not find out for sure until the day before they moved.

Dear Annie: I need a little advice. My oldest son, age 42, and my youngest, 32, had a disagreement three years ago and still aren't talking to each other.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas.

Dear Annie: You were kind enough to publish my article last year about parents who are grieving the loss of a child during the holidays. Would you be kind enough to republish what I've updated?

I’m writing to you because I need advice on my relationship with my older sister. I’m in my 50s, and she’s eight years older. She and her husband have no children.

A number of you wrote in response to “Weary at Heart,” whose sister was molested by her stepfather, and offered your perspectives and advice. Here are a few of my favorite letters offering valuable insights.

I need therapy because of what is happening in my marriage. My husband of 28 years has had a five-year relationship with another woman, and now they’ve had a child together. My husband is a 56-year-old autistic man.

My mother-in-law is 81 and a widow. She currently lives alone. Her health is declining, and she has been talking about wanting my husband and me to move in with her and “take care of her and the house.”

Dear Annie: I always read the stories sent to you by your readers, and I have always wanted to write you. Now is the time.

Dear Annie: I am a 25-year-old female, and I absolutely love the life I have built with my husband and our two kids. His family has accepted me from day one. The problem is my family.

Dear Annie: My wife of more than 31 years recently passed away. She had three children from a previous marriage.

About two years ago I was pregnant with my firstborn. About five months into the pregnancy, my partner, the father, cheated ...

I was a lousy husband. Not because of physical or emotional abuse but because of ignorance. I grew up in a household where I never heard my father tell my mother he loved her. I never heard him give her a compliment or ask her opinion.

I am writing in hopes that you can provide a different and fresh perspective. I have two sons: “George,” 28, and “Fred,” 35. George has lived with us on and off for the past 10 years. I call him my “boomerang kid.”

I am the proud owner of a flip cellphone, and I probably wouldn’t have it if public telephones still existed.

Dear Annie: I used to date a lady from Australia who was taught to hold her fork in the European/continental style.

One of my young relatives came to me when she was thrown out of her house at the age of 23 by her parents for “no reason,” she claimed. I agreed to cosign her lease so she could get an apartment, and I also agreed to pay her rent until she could find a good job.

Dear Annie: In 1996, I met a man while traveling. At the time, I was a single mom of three in a new city and state away from family.

I have been friends with “Jasmine” for over 50 years. Jasmine has trouble dealing with loss, often grieving for decades. Last year, she lost her dog. She sits and cries every night.

Almost 15 years ago, my older sister removed me from her life after a series of messy arguments. At the time, she just stopped taking my calls and waited for me to leave family functions before going.

Regarding the recent letters about Alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery programs, whatever works best for you is what you should do. With 8 billion people on the face of this earth, and 1 in 10 an alcoholic, we need all the help we can get.

Dear Annie: I feel for the woman who is being ignored or criticized by her husband constantly and who wants out of the marriage.

Dear Annie: I'm at a stage in my life where personal growth has taken hold in the absence of my husband.

My husband and I love each other very much, but we have grown apart for a while now. I’ve done my best to be a good and loving wife, yet it seems to be hard for him to give me physical affection.

This letter describes my life experiences with bullies and how I managed to succeed.

In 2010, I discovered that my husband of 47 years had been in touch with a woman who he had a long and intimate relationship with before we met.

A number of you wrote to me in response to “Still Recovering,” the woman who was not yet over her husband’s affair from seven years earlier. You offered a range of different perspectives gained from personal experiences with infidelity.

Many readers expressed opinions — and offered tips for coping — on the subject of allergies when visiting friends and family during the holidays, or just visiting friends in general.

As we prepare for another holiday season, all kinds of emotions and feelings rise to the surface for all of us —

Dear Annie: I have been married for almost 20 years.

I am looking forward to the holiday season this year, just as I have in years past, and I wanted to share my thoughts about this. Being an octogenarian, born in 1940, I see things more clearly as I enter the twilight of my life.

Dear Annie: My mom's husband molested my sister more than 25 years ago.

My boyfriend and I are in love, and we’ve been together for five years and have lived together for the past three years. He moved in with me after his divorce. Now, from that divorce, his credit was horrible.

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and joyous Thanksgiving.

As we prepare our tables and tummies for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving celebration, I find myself reflecting on the countless things I am grateful for.

Before getting married, I (alone) purchased the home we currently reside in. I invested a large amount of cash — more than one-third of the purchase price — at closing. My husband owned three investment properties before we were married.

Dear Annie: With reference to a recent column in which the reader said she had lost her home to a reverse mortgage, there are two primary ways this can happen, and I want to explain how to avoid this so that it never happens to any other reader.

Back in the ‘90s, before cellphones, I discovered that my husband was having an affair with the manager of a store he owned.

Dear Annie: On July 12, 2022, my son and his wife gave birth to identical twin boys. A week prior, my son said nobody could come to the hospital due to COVID-19.

I am struggling with the fact that I will be coming face to face with family members after a year estranged. I drew a line in the sand last year when my niece assaulted another guest in my home.

My live-in girlfriend of 15 years, who is 12 years older, never wants to hang out with me and any of my friends. Even when I found friends closer to her age, she still does not want to do anything.

I lost my beloved father to suicide on Oct. 23, 1997, making me a suicide survivor, which means someone who has lost a loved one to suicide. My father was on his second bout of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and he didn’t leave a note.

Dear Annie: My grandson is in first grade and was being bullied by a classmate. The first time, the bully threw him to the ground and started punching him in the face.

I was surprised at your response to the letter writer regarding the Rational Recovery book, offered as an alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous. I am not an alcoholic myself, but I have adjacent relationships...

Approximately seven years ago, my husband was unfaithful. I filed divorce papers, but he asked that we not go through with it, and he made promises that things would change. But since then, nothing has changed.

My husband and I have been together for nearly 30 years, but we have been growing apart over the past seven or eight...

On Veterans Day, it is very important to honor all veterans, not just the ones that served in a war of society’s approval. I am a Vietnam veteran, and the reception we got on returning to “the world” after our tour of duty was shameful, disgraceful and disrespectful.

My two sisters and I were out running errands one day when my youngest sister announced that we as a family should no longer exchange Christmas gifts because it’s too hard to figure out what to buy everyone.

Our family is very close, but there is one thing that keeps happening that is driving me crazy. It seems that every time I try to have a conversation, I get interrupted by one individual.

I’m in my second — and final — marriage, and I have a 15-year-old son and a 5-year-old son. I have struggled for years with the disconnected relationship ...

Dear Annie: Three weeks ago, my oldest sister passed away. Her passing was not expected.

My parents, brother and I all live several states away, about a day’s drive between any two points in our geographic triangle. My aunt is roughly a central point between all of us and has invited us for Thanksgiving.

Dear Annie: My mother-in-law, who is 68, has a really bad habit of talking over me when my husband asks me a question.

With respect to your advice to “Loner in the South,” who was concerned about whether to attend his elderly mother’s funeral after family members have been giving him the cold shoulder for many years.

Eight years ago, my husband of 28 years divorced me, after I had discovered evidence on my computer of him having multiple affairs. Before our divorce was final, my soon-to-be ex visited a mail-order bride overseas and brought her back to our home.

In reading the letter from “Bewildered and Heartbroken,” about managing a relationship with a difficult daughter-in-law, my reaction was — that could be me. We have had similar experiences with a relative.

I am very sad and hurt because my son and his wife will not let me see my four grandkids. This all started after we got together ...

Dear Readers:Wanted to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Halloween. Below are some tips to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Dear Annie: “Rita,” as I love to call her, is the best spouse in the world. We met when I was 21 and she was 25. I was homeless and a server at a restaurant. I didn’t have much going for me in my life.

Dear Annie: Growing up, my parents were alcoholics who got sober when I was 10 years old.

I have created an uncaring, selfish husband. On our 40th wedding anniversary, my husband didn’t say happy anniversary or even get me a card.

Dear Annie: My son was involved in a catastrophic accident and was left with a severe brain injury.

Dear Annie: My boyfriend and I have been homeless for three years, ever since I lost my lifelong home to a reverse mortgage on the coldest day of the year.

My younger brother and sister are twins, and they just turned 17. I am writing to you because they have three kittens ...

Dear Annie: I just read your comments to a person whose husband had Alzheimer's and was upset by what people said to her.

My question concerns the fact that I received a heart icon on my profile on a dating website that I joined. I am new at this. He is a widower, and I want to reply by thanking him for the heart and then send a message. Should I ask him a question regarding his profile?

Dear Annie: I feel really bad for my mother who, in her early 70s, just seems to be bored with life.

I have a friend, and I suspect she is being abused by her boyfriend. The boyfriend has been to jail before, and I have honestly always had a bad feeling about him.

I recently attended my favorite cousin’s wedding, which was absolutely beautiful. However, I am troubled by what I heard about his new bride’s parents. Her parents planned a visit with them in their house this past summer for two weeks and then extended their visit to 3 1/2 weeks.

I have a wonderful husband, and I love my marriage, but when it comes to female relationships, I feel so left out and lonely.

Just wanted to share some of my favorite October poems. Hope your fall is filled with pumpkin everything ...

Dear Annie: I am an attentive, loving grandmother to a handful of grandchildren.

I have never sent in anything to a column before, but I’d like to say something from a grandkid’s perspective about “Brokenhearted Grandma.”

Dear Annie: Should we just let this go? My wife and I were invited to my only sibling's son's wedding in August.

I read your column daily. I live in the Deep South. When I was 23, I finally accepted my sexual orientation and began a relationship with a friend four years older than me.

I have been with my boyfriend for four years, and we have lived together for about 1.5 years. Things are generally well between us with one exception: He has begun snoring.

I’ve been in a relationship for 10 years, and we got engaged this year. The issue I’m struggling with is that before we were official, I noticed a message on social media of my groom in which he was flirting with my best friend’s little sister.

Dear Annie: My wife and I started dating a quarter-century ago, and we have been married for almost 24 years. We love each other and are happy in our marriage, though I have one complaint.

Dear Annie: I wrote to you months ago about how those of us who have navigated a successfully long marriage can help all the newlyweds succeed, and you gave some great advice.

My friend says, “you know what I’m saying,” after nearly every sentence in conversations. She used to not do this very annoying habit, but it has become routine when she talks. It drives me to distraction.

Dear Annie: My husband and I are in our 70s, and we have our cocktail hour at 6 p.m. every night followed by dinner at 7 or so.

Over the past decade, I have given up on trying to have a relationship with my five siblings. I used to call every so often to catch up and send birthday cards to all of them and their children.

I have been with my girlfriend for 2 1/2 years now. She just lost her middle son to a drug overdose exactly one month ago tomorrow. She is really struggling with this. He was her best friend and, out of all her kids, the one most similar to her.

I am a mom of three adult children. The circumstances that I am sharing are regarding my son and his new relationship. He is 27 and in love for the first time in his life. (Yay!)

I am an elderly widow who has become friends with another elderly widow who lives in the same apartment complex that I do. She is very smart and well-read, and I can talk about things with her that other friends have no interest in.

Dear Annie: I've been happily married for 17 years to my wife, and we have two kids together, ages 9 and 14.

For the past two years, I’ve lived in my apartment complex without issues except for my next-door neighbor. I have come to learn that she has a medical issue — I believe it is cerebral palsy — but that’s not why I’m needing advice.

Dear Annie: I'm a divorced father with two children. My son has been depressed for over 13 years, living in Denver with his mother who's an alcoholic.

My neighbor, who has become one of my very best friends, just moved to a city four hours away. I’m devastated. We used to meet up nearly every night for a cocktail on the porch or a walk around the neighborhood. We both promised to keep in close touch, but I have barely heard from her.

When COVID hit, my boyfriend and I — who already lived together — began spending every waking minute together, as we were both working from home. I honestly loved it.

I have two grown sons, ages 32 and 24, and they are my oldest and youngest children of six. At the age of 15, the 32-year-old was accused of a crime that the family knows he did not commit. But the accusation resulted in his spending approximately 15 years in and out of the penal system.

I had a cousin who was dating an actress. On her biography, she listed people she had dated but did not bother to mention my cousin.

Dear Annie: I want to share a story with you and your readers about a resource that has helped our family tremendously. They are called memory care centers, which is an alternative to assisted living.

I must disagree with your advice to “Brokenhearted in Ohio.” These adult children should not have to be reminded to call or send a card to their grandmother on her birthday or any holiday.

Dear Annie: Over the years, my tolerance for garlic has gotten so bad that I have cut it out of my diet entirely.

There’s a pizza place my husband and I go to once in a while near our home that has a really nice wait staff — mostly younger girls — but there is one gal, “Veronica,” who’s older, and we hit it off really well. We were good friends, or so I thought.

Today marks the first day of a new season and one of my favorites: fall. As we say so long to summer and swap our swimsuits for sweaters, we look ahead to new and exciting memories to come...

I will be 80 in October 2022. I do not have a problem with aging. It’s better than the alternative. I read this years ago and still think they are great words to live by...

I will admit that I am a controlling daughter-in-law. I suffered childhood abuse of many kinds ...

Dear Annie: We're in a bit of a crisis here. My daughter has gone through a messy divorce.

My grandson was the victim of hazing incidents in the locker room at his private school. It went on for more than a month. Someone made videos of parts of it, and the entire school saw the videos.

Dear Annie: I've been reading your column for a while and now have a situation of my own I'm hoping you can help me with.

I am a 44-year-old single male who has been struggling with the dating scene. I only started dating in the last 15 years. Though I have met a lot of great people during that time, it seems as if being a gentleman, opening doors, trying to build a relationship, and a little flirting have scared women away, especially in the last few years.

I am 75. Two years ago, my oldest son, age 53, died suddenly from a massive heart attack. He was single and worked hard to amass a very large estate, which he left to me.

I am writing in response to “Angry Neighbor,” published on Aug. 28. “Angry” is upset about a campaign sign in his neighbor’s yard.

In the three years we have been married, never once had she ever discussed or hinted at getting any type of plastic surgery. ...

Dear Annie: I thoroughly support the comments and book recommendation made by "Enjoying my Life," not just for extroverts who want to understand their introverted loved ones better, but for introverts as well.

Today is Sept. 11. A day that changed America forever. There were many brave men and women who lost their lives this day. Below are some quotes that help to remind us of the preciousness of life and honoring those with incredible courage.

Dear Annie: I've been married to a wonderful woman for almost 50 years.

I recently had my 50th birthday. My boyfriend and I have been dating for seven years, with a two-year break. His friend recently asked me if my boyfriend gave me a present from him.

I am at my wits’ end. I don’t know what to do for my 29-year-old grandson. He needs help, but I don’t know how to help him.

I am a 68-year-old Grammy, and I love to do things with my grandchildren. Unfortunately, as we age, our immunity lowers, and we can become sick more easily.

I had a seven-year relationship with a man who I thought was the love of my life. I had been married twice ...

Dear Annie: My brother and I are in our early 50s, and our mom has dementia.

I’m writing this concerning my family. I have five sons and one daughter who are all grown and have children. My third son, “Jake,” has two adult daughters and an adult son.

Dear Annie: My fiance's brother and his wife have been married for 10 years. They've been in a "thruple" now for about six months.

Our son “Kyle” got a divorce after eight years of marriage. (He later told us it was because his ex-wife had an abortion.) Since then, he has had a few girlfriends, but none of them wanted or could have a baby.

My in-laws have been married for more than 50 years. For most of that time, it has not been a marriage of love or respect. My father-in-law “John” has a history of being a womanizer and has treated my mother-in-law “Jane” with constant disrespect.

I have been with my girlfriend for three years. She and her physically disabled son have lived with me for almost two years. I’ve been very unhappy in this relationship for a while now.

I love reading your advice, and boy, do I ever need some now! About 20 years ago, my mother-in-law became addicted to drugs, both prescription and illegal, as a way to deal with unresolved childhood trauma. As a result, her marriage to my father-in-law fell apart.

I was raised during an economic depression. I had a sister who was two years older than me and a sister who was six years younger. I was a 6-year-old when my baby sister was born, and my life changed.

My husband passed away a little over 18 months ago. He was part of a family business, and he became disabled while he worked there. Eventually, he was fired by his twin brother. I’m not really sure why, other than the fact that his financial abilities had declined so much.

Frequently, we read letters from your readers who are mystified about the fact that when they send a card or a package carefully wrapped and mailed, the recipient does not even think about the fact that love played a major role in this.

I am part of a cooking club that meets the second Tuesday of each month. Each member buys food and we cook a recipe chosen by the host. There are 15 members.

The problem is not with our son, but his wife. They dated in high school and college, and she was friendly and nice to us during those periods, visiting us quite often. They were married after living together for more than five years, and during that time we had good relations with them.

I live out in the country and have found a consistently wonderful kennel for my dog. The people who work there are the owner and two helpers; all are kind, efficient and obviously dog lovers.

There was a very attractive 70-plus woman with whom I noticed my husband flirting...

Annie Lane is off this week. The following column was originally published in 2019.

My wife and I are approaching 50 years of marriage. Recently, we went on a cruise with her childhood friend, “Cindy,” and her husband, “Rob.” They have been friends since elementary school and Cindy was the maid of honor at our wedding.

Dear Annie: I have been going on a Super Bowl cruise for 14 years with the same group of people, including two couples and two ladies, one of whom is married and the other is single.

I’m feeling conflicted about my phone. Recently, I deleted all my social media apps — Instagram, TikTok, Twitter — because I was getting so frustrated about all the time I waste on them. I would just open and close them 100 times a day and waste hours endlessly scrolling.

Dear Annie: I am 40 years old, and I have been eating a plant-based diet since high school.

I enjoy your daily column in our local paper. Reading the letter from “Still Grieving” brought back memories of the passing of my husband of 44 years.

Dear Annie: Several dear friends have had to put down beloved pets, and I was wondering if you could print the beautiful poem about the Rainbow Bridge? It helped me so much when I lost my beautiful Lucky!

Dear Annie: The "Mother Whose Heart Is Breaking" is absolutely right to be worried about her son.

I’ve been married to the love of my life for 15 years, but the last 10 years have been different from the first five. My wife has been suffering from depression due to some health reasons with her thyroid, but my problem is that she has stopped going to the doctor.

Dear Annie: I feel like I made a mistake and need someone outside my circle to assess the situation.

My daughter and her husband have two darling toddler girls who I adore. Their parents had no plans for child care when the first was born and just assumed I would step up. Now the girls are in day care because caring for them full time was too much for me

Nearly 20 years ago, after a tumultuous breakup, I met and married my current wife. I cared for her, but I did not love her as one should love another when entering into marriage.

I am a widow who lives alone. I have three children, a son and two daughters. They are grown, married and have their own children. I am seeking your opinion and advice.

Perhaps you can help me understand the biggest mystery of my life. I was an unwanted, unloved child ...

Dear Annie: I thought I would share some fantastic advice my husband and I received from a marriage counselor a few years ago during a very difficult patch in our 28-year relationship.

In the waiting room of a clinic, I had to endure a long one-sided conversation by a woman on her cellphone. I can understand getting a call and quietly telling the caller that they will call them back, but people don't seem to do that.

Dear Annie: I recently read your column in which you gave advice on how to deal with a toxic relationship between a mother and adult daughter.

Back in the 1960s, my father inherited some land with houses on it from his uncle who raised him. For some reason, he let his sister, my aunt, and her family move into one of the houses rent-free.

My boyfriend and I don’t really keep track of our spending, but we try to make it pretty even by trading off who pays for different expenses — groceries, date nights, travel costs, etc. We both have good jobs, and we make about the same amount of money.

I am 67 years old and not getting along well with my oldest daughter, who is 48.

After reading the letter about the wife who is out capturing feral cats for spaying and neutering, you should be aware of the Herman Bennett Foundation, which provides free vouchers to vets to cover the costs.

Dear Annie: I wanted to offer a little encouragement to "Opposites" about his relationship.

I have a wedding invitation etiquette question. My niece is getting married and has only invited five of her six cousins. The one cousin not invited happens to be one of my sons.

Dear Annie: I've been with my girlfriend for seven years and lived with her for four. She wants to get married and have kids.

My sister “Kendra” and I are not very close and only communicate two to three times per year, mainly in emails. Kendra sold her home and moved out of state. I never commented on how much she made or didn’t make on her old house; I felt that was absolutely none of my business.

I’ve been reading your column for a long time, and I admire how reasonable and nonjudgmental your advice seems to be. My husband and I were childhood sweethearts. We are currently separated, and I am concerned that this might lead to divorce.

My son’s wife was pregnant with their third child in November 2022. At that time, even though my wife is severely handicapped, I offered to come over and spend time with the “grandkids” while she gave birth.

Dear Annie: I'm a 45-year-old woman, and my boyfriend is 36.

I love your column and am writing to offer a different point of view for the woman whose family does not celebrate her birthday or Mother’s Day or Christmas the way she wants. She says she gives them presents, but they don’t reciprocate.

Dear Annie: My husband and I are a young couple.

I’ve been in a long-distance, exclusive, monogamous relationship for over a year now. I met him at work (we both work remotely), and he reached out and made his feelings clear. We had a work relationship to begin with, so we were always in touch, and feelings just grew.

Last weekend, my beloved sister died from Alzheimer’s after a very long, difficult and painful decline. I was her sole caretaker for the past three years because my other sisters live too far away to help. I was with my sister up until the moment she died.

My wife and I get along well for the most part, but not all the time. She is a control freak who insists on knowing where I am going and what I am doing every second.

My husband and I have been married for almost 16 years. Two months ago, I found out that he has been having affairs pretty much the whole time.

My boyfriend and I used to live with my dad, until his girlfriend kicked us out because of her daughter.

Dear Annie: My friend recently asked me to cook her dinner because she was tired of working long hours and eating fast food.

I've been engaged for eight months. I'm so happy about the fact that I've finally found someone ...

Five years ago, I left my abusive husband because I couldn’t take it any longer. We have been legally married for 31 years but separated for five. I took him back last summer because he promised he was a different man and had learned his lesson.

My husband and I recently moved from out of state to be closer to family. My mother-in-law and her large extended family have regular gatherings. When we first moved, they were so open to us and invited us to holiday parties and gatherings.

I have a wonderful marriage with someone I met when we were teenagers. We have a beautiful family with two boys and some pets, and almost everything is good. However, my wife becomes obsessed with causes at times, and for the past year or so, she is so intensely invested in feral cats.

After general conversation, this woman reached over and stroked my fiance’s face without uttering a word. ...

Dear Annie: My girlfriend and I are really in love, but we are opposites in so many things.

Dear Annie: I recently got married to the greatest guy I’ve ever met, yet I know for a fact that he has cheated on me more than once. I have actually gotten phone calls from the other woman describing his body and my home.

Dear Annie: A few months ago, I discovered several naked photos of a woman that were in a laptop that had been given to me by my fiance of two years. We live together.

My good friend “Sara” has a son who is getting married at the beginning of August. I have been in constant communication with Sara, offering help and telling her that I would love to be at the wedding. I have known Sara since high school, and we are close.

At the beginning of the pandemic, my son moved in with his longtime girlfriend. Due to confinement, they became very dependent on each other. Now she wants to get engaged and married.

I just read your Father’s Day column, and I am here to say you are SO right! My husband (a well-beloved teacher) passed away in 2016, and shortly after that, he visited me in a dream.

Dear Annie: I have a dear friend from high school who I’ve never lost touch with. We have the kind of friendship where it doesn’t matter if we haven’t talked for months; she is there to listen and stand up for me.

Dear readers: I want to wish everyone a very happy Fourth of July.

I had always held my sister in high regard, and I loved her. She was my big sis, and I felt she loved and cared for me. But things have happened to cause me to change my mind.

Dear Annie: My wife, "Jill," and I have been married for seven years, together for nine.

I’ve always been the one who puts everyone first. I always do my best to make sure that when it’s my kids’ or husband’s birthday, I decorate the living room and dining room for them. I spend months searching for that special gift, finding that thing that they didn’t know they wanted.

My mother-in-law can’t keep a secret to save her life. Neither can my husband, for that matter. She lives for gossip, and my husband joins his parents daily for “happy hour.”

I have been with my current boyfriend for over three years. My problem is that his father, sister and brother are so against our relationship that we have to hide it.

“Alex” is my ex-husband and the father of our two sons, ages 21 and 18. Alex and I married when we were young.

Dear Annie: My husband, "John," and I are dancers, and we give dance lessons.

I’m 60 years of age. I’ve been trapped my entire life taking care of people — caregiving and people-pleasing. I’m always making sure everyone is OK when I’m all emotionally screwed up.

Dear Annie: I love my wife of 40 years, but we've had our problems over the course of our marriage.

My husband and I met while he was going through a challenging divorce and instantly fell in love. Because we have a significant age difference, he wanted to get married and start having kids as soon as possible. His best friend “Robert” made it clear that he did not approve of our relationship or engagement.

My husband is passionate about doing what we can as individual citizens to combat climate change. He believes the largest impact any one person can have is decreasing their driving. So, to do his part, he has started using the public transit system as much as possible.

My husband and I got into a pretty bad argument earlier this year, and in a drunken state, he told me to “f--- off.” I was sober and shocked.

Dear Annie: We appreciate your care for community members in the Spokane, Washington, area and the time that you spend responding to questions from community members who contact you.

Dear Annie: When my wife was pregnant with our first child, I was worried that once the baby came, I would have tremendous difficulty sacrificing my time for him.

Dear Readers: Happy Father’s Day. Below is a beautiful letter written for Father’s Day. While there is sadness, there is a wonderful message namely that love is always the answer.

Dear Annie: I've been seeing this man for eight years.

My husband has four grown children — one from his first marriage and the other three with his late wife. Talk about drama! Who talks to who? Who can’t stand who? Who gets annoyed when one of them comes to visit us?

My wife and I married four and a half years ago, the second marriage for both of us. I have had dogs virtually all of my life. My wife was aware of this.

My husband’s brother and family are somewhat estranged from our family due to one family being “anti-vax” and the other “pro-vax.” Even before COVID-19, we had become more distant because of our opposite political views.

He told me, in a bragging fashion, that he and this wife had nude couples pool parties at his home. ... I thought the worst: They were swingers.

Dear Annie: My 19-year-old son has been floating through life since he graduated from high school.

Dear Annie: So many things have happened to me and my family in the last 10 years that I have often felt the same way as “Holding On,” the woman who is contemplating suicide.

Dear Annie: I have been with my fiance for the last five years.

I am a high school sophomore, and my close friend of more than 10 years is suffering from an eating disorder. At lunch, it can be challenging for her to eat, but she takes it out on other people by criticizing and making fun of their food.

I have been married to my husband for 40 years. Over the years, we have had our ups and downs. About seven years ago, I found an email from one of his co-workers indicating a romantic relationship.

Please help, as I am out of ideas about what to suggest. I have a small group of friends whom I feel lucky to have known since secondary school.

I am writing as a parent and as a grandfather. My son and his wife and their 12-year-old son visit almost every Sunday ...

Dear Annie: I have been in a relationship for almost nine years now.

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 66 years.

Dear Annie: A few months ago, my wife of four years went out for drinks with her girlfriends and did not return home till the next day.

Last year, my best friend told me that she and my husband had slept together the year before, after her divorce from my husband’s brother. When I confronted my husband about this information, he wasn’t defensive or argumentative; he just denied that it happened.

My husband, “Jay,” has suffered from depression for years. He is an intellectual and feels he should have a higher position in his particular line of work. He has not been successful in achieving this, which has depressed him.

I met a woman online a couple of months ago, though we have never met in person. We have talked about getting together, where I would go to her location, and taking things from there. I’m wondering if there are warning flags and what course of action to take.

I recently moved in with my sister, who is two years older than me. We got into a fight recently because, while she is an extroverted...

Dear Annie: I'm a 60-year-old male about to reenter the dating world.

Dear Annie: I am having a real hard time right now. My husband — of only five years — and I married quite quickly after we met.

Dear Annie: Several years ago, at a party of 50-some people, my daughter brought up politics and confronted me about my political pick.

I wanted to ask this question to see what others think. My boyfriend hasn’t involved me in his family and we have been together for seven years. He has met my family and my kids but is very private about his own family.

I am a woman in her late 30s and have been working at my current career for the past five years. It is a very demanding, high-paced, glamorous environment -- think entertainment/fashion industry.

For the past seven months, I’ve been having issues with my husband of 19 years. I found out seven months ago he’s been talking to an old female friend. He claims that she’s just a friend and that he’s interacting with her only via text and calls and that nothing is going on.

I’m a 45-year-old loser. I’ve never been married, have no kids and have never been in a relationship.

Dear Annie: I would like to reply to "An Aging Adult Facing Reality." I, too, have profound hearing loss and have been wearing hearing aids since the age of 10.

When I married my husband, it was me and my 17-year-old daughter.

Dear Annie: I have been with my boyfriend "Scott" for almost 11 years. We have been together since high school.

I’d like to offer an alternative perspective on your advice to “Trying To Heal,” who is finding it hard to forgive her abusive mother. I would argue quite strongly, and from experience, that forgiveness isn’t necessary to healing.

I recently got married to the father of my youngest child, and so far, nothing is going as planned.

Growing up, my siblings and I were not particularly close with my father’s mother. My mom and dad had religious differences with Grandma, and she kept a distance from us. We were like the black sheep of the family!

I recently learned that my spouse had a brief affair with someone else early in our relationship.

Dear Annie: With an estimated 2.5 million couples planning on getting married this year, how can those of us who have successfully navigated marriage over the years help these couples succeed once the honeymoon phase begins to wane?

Dear Annie: My husband has a small family, and his mom is single. My husband and I have two children in elementary school.

Dear Annie: They say it's normal not to forget your first love. Is reaching out to them crossing a line?

An acquaintance from my past (1983) contacted me in July 2019 after searching for and finding me on social media. We have been speaking on and off since then, but he now calls me every day (sometimes two times a day) and says he’s making travel plans to come see me.

I recently separated from my husband, and we are in the process of a divorce. The relationship was a bit toxic. But it was my choice to leave, and I left for my own mental health, as I struggle with anxiety and depression and self-esteem issues. I have reconnected with a man I dated a few years ago.

Is it wrong or unethical to tell a friend that a mutual friend has COVID-19 without securing that individual’s permission to discuss their medical status?

But where do I go from here? I don’t know if the attraction is mutual or not...

Dear Annie: I frequently hear older relatives complain that the younger generation does not want to host holiday gatherings and would rather travel to a beach vacation or ski vacation.

Happy Mother’s Day! Below are some beautiful quotes and tributes written about mothers.

Dear Annie: I have been married to my husband for 11 years, together for 16.

I’m a 24-year-old man, and I recently moved in with my girlfriend of three years. Since moving in, it seems that the passion she used to have for me is gone physically, though she insists it’s due to hormone issues with her medications.

I am engaged. I have been for six years (I know, I know), but we actually plan to get married in a few months. I am in love with her, but I just don’t know if letting my feelings fall to the wayside is how I want to live the rest of my life.

Dear Annie: I’ve been an admin for many years at many different offices, and the admin’s office/desk is usually equivalent to a home’s kitchen — the gathering spot.

There’s a lot that you and your family can do to alleviate anxiety during these stressful times, especially as we face the potential for an expanding war beyond Ukraine. There are new weapons in play now: cyberattacks, the use of economic sanctions and the expansion of warfare into space.

Dear Annie: I am in my 40s and recently single again after 15 years of marriage. I ended my marriage due to domestic violence.

My wife and I have been married for over 15 years. I have a high metabolism, while she is considered obese. But she wears it well. After having children via cesarean section, her stomach has no muscles left to hold it together. To me, she is beautiful, inside and out.

Dear Annie: My husband took away all sex and everything that went with it 22 years ago. I hate my wasted life.

Several years ago, my sister’s husband passed away. She was married for over 60 years. They had three children. She made plans to have a memorial service on the weekend. He was to be cremated. My family and I made plans to attend.

I have an old flame who has been happily married for many years and lives across the country. I would never cross the line, as I have been on that end, and I wish that pain on no one. How do I get my heart to stop wanting him?

Thank you for the wise advice that you give to your readers. I have often taken your advice and applied it to my situation in life. But this is a new issue for me.

I have been with my boyfriend for 10 years, and we have one child together. We love each other, but we are not married. I keep asking, “Why is he taking so long to propose marriage?”

Dear Annie: Something not spoken about regarding oppression, disadvantages and privilege is the privilege people have when they have family.

Dear Annie: I have a friend who is moving out of state in six weeks, and she has a family member who is giving her a hard time. The family member is giving her the, “What about me?” song and dance after my friend did everything in her power to make sure the family member is taken care of.

Dear Annie: I've been involved with the father of my child for 10 years.

Today, Earth Day, is a time for reflection on and gratitude for our beautiful planet. If you are looking for some ways to show your appreciation with time or money, below is a list of organizations devoted to environmental sustainability.

My husband and I have been married for three years. Life together has been good since our relationship blossomed almost five years ago. But my in-laws have never supported our relationship because I’m not a member of the Latter-day Saints church.

I have a question about etiquette in our technological age. I recently discovered that lots of people have cameras inside their own homes, and I found out that one couple with whom we are friendly has several cameras in their home.

I received so many letters about the column “Tactful Reply” that I wanted to honor your feedback and print some of them below. Thank you all for sharing your wonderful words of wisdom and advice on how to handle these situations. I’m hoping that it helps others know they are not alone in their grief.

I have read your column for a long time now, and I always find that you give good advice and wisdom. I've been married for seven years and just recently became separated ...

Wishing you and your families a very happy Easter and Passover week. Spring is a time to get outdoors and play. It is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. It is a time when the flowers begin to bloom and kittens are born.

I'm writing to share my feelings about giving up and just being done.

I grew up in an extremely abusive household with a functioning (mean, abusive) alcoholic for a mother. Because of the poor examples I had as a child, I ended up becoming a functioning addict in an abusive relationship of my own.

My son is 53 years old — a good person but an alcoholic. He followed me to Florida 10 years ago. I sent thousands of dollars to get him on his feet.

I have a dog who loves people. Whenever my sister-in-law, “Helen,” visits, she does not touch him at all. She has a dog herself and seems to like dogs. This makes my wife feel bad, but Helen doesn’t seem to care.

I am a divorced man in his mid-60s and involved with a woman of the same age. We both have good jobs and enjoy each other’s company.

Below are some uplifting letters about how to find peace and joy even in the midst of uncertainty.

I’m a middle-aged single mom of two great kids. I recently entered into my first serious relationship since my divorce five years ago, and I love him dearly, but there is a huge problem.

Mother's Day and Father's Day always present a dilemma for my family, and I was hoping you and your readers could offer some advice.

My three siblings and I are in a terrible situation right now over our 88-year-old mother. When she first moved into her seniors residence almost a year ago, one of the papers that we were asked to fill out was a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) form.

My husband has a friend, “Ralph,” who is half his age and was recently married. Ralph’s wife, “Katherine,” is always texting my husband, and not me, to make plans to go out to eat. She also likes to sit beside my husband.

My family is dealing with an aging mother. Since my father died, she has moved often. Every place she moves to eventually has some issue, and she starts complaining. Soon she is driving me crazy about whatever it is. Even after the problem is solved, she’ll find something else to focus on.

I am feeling so conflicted. My niece, “Melanie,” is getting married in June. Melanie is paying for her own wedding, with a little from her mom. Long story short, things are acrimonious between Melanie and her dad, and she’s decided not to invite him to the wedding.

Dear Annie: My oldest sister has five grown children. Four live out of town, and one lives with his mother.

Dear Annie: I am trying to decide if I should print out the following letter and give it to my wife. What do you think?

Dear Annie: I recently ended a long-term friendship. I feel it was the right choice to make, and I don't regret the decision.

I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a little over 14 months. We knew each other 30 years ago, as we attended the same church. We never said anything but hello to each other. Fourteen months ago, we connected on Facebook, and a fairytale romance began.

My husband constantly interrupts me. When I open a conversation with him, he immediately starts talking about his thoughts before I even have a chance to finish mine. When with a group of people, I will start to say something about an experience we may have had, and he immediately takes over the conversation.

A great number of you wrote in and responded to “Feeling Powerless” with some wonderful suggestions to help. Below are a few. Thank you very much for your positive input.

My husband and I met 20 years ago and had a passionate, whirlwind courtship. Two years after we were married, intimacy gradually became less and less frequent.

Dear Annie: I am writing to you because I am desperate to find the answer to my problem, which is similar to other letters I have seen in your column.

My daughter goes to college full time and works full time, so she is very busy. When she was in high school, she knew at least four people who committed suicide.

Dear Annie: I am a happily married middle-age woman.

When our sons married and left home, my husband and I decided to make sure our sons and their families would never have to choose who to visit on any holiday. So, we announced that we would always have our holiday get-togethers at our house a week before or after the actual holiday.

I’ve been seeing this guy since early December. He’s perfect in every way, except he seems to be attached to this one woman, “Suzy,” who he became good friends with due to unfortunate pasts connecting the two of them.

This letter is in reference to the aunt and uncle who provided generous gifts to their six nephews, only to be forgotten when it came time for those same nephews to thank them.

I have been dating my boyfriend for almost eight years. We were high school sweethearts, and we are each other’s first everything, so we’ve only been with each other.

Dear Annie: I have two sons. My older one was always a source of difficulty growing up.

Dear Annie: Some years ago, I went to a nearby office supply shop, where I saw a local couple looking around. The woman, a local musician, had Alzheimer’s, but she seemed to recognize me, so we began a conversation.

Dear Annie: I'm still bothered by memories that are over 20 years old.

I recently reconnected with a man I was engaged to as a young girl. We broke up because of a misunderstanding. Now, decades later, we have reunited.

In light of St. Patrick’s Day, I want to share this story from “Same Boat,” who wrote a response recently to share the story of how he reconnected with his fiancee from 28 years ago.

In light of St Patrick’s Day tomorrow, I wanted to share some famous fun quotes and blessings.

Dear Annie: I’ve read a lot of your columns, and it always seems your advice is helpful. I’ve been stuck in a major rut for the last two or three years.

Dear Annie: My husband and I are doctors (academician and orthopedic surgeon).

Dear Annie: You have a lot of common sense, and I am writing to you because I am looking for an outside opinion about my sudden pessimism about current events.

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 30 years. It is our second marriage for both of us.

I am a licensed professional counselor writing in response to “Cleaning the Chaos,” the woman who was sick of cleaning up after her boyfriend. The boyfriend, “Denny,” the apparent slob, has the classic signs of attention deficit disorder.

My soon-to-be ex-wife and I were married for almost five years. When we decided to have kids, we also agreed that she would quit her job and become a full-time stay-at-home mom. I would support her and the kids 100%.

I lost a son in 2014, and now both of my surviving sons don’t want to have anything to do with me.

I am writing in response to the letter from “Concerned Care-Daughter,” who said she was approaching caregiver burnout. It sounds to me like she is very empathic, and her older sister may have some narcissist traits.

Dear Annie: I love your column and the advice you give. I never thought I'd be sending a letter to you.

About 18 months ago, my daughter, now 29, told my wife and me that she planned to get married in October of this year.

Dear Annie: I have a friend who my partner and I had a good friendship with until she got back together with her boyfriend.

I have a friend who I met when we were classmates, and I hadn’t seen him in years. We finally got together, with me going to his residence, and we had a good time. Afterward, no call or text from him. When we do talk, it’s me making the call.

I’d like an impartial opinion on something that’s been bothering me for a few months now. My husband recently turned 50, and as I wanted to mark this milestone, I decided to throw a small surprise party.

This is in response to “Frustrated Peacemaker,” the woman whose husband constantly corrects her 80-year-old mom, who has dementia.

Dear Annie: I am a middle-aged widow. A few years ago, I reconnected with a longtime family friend.

Dear Annie: I have some thoughts to share with "Avoiding Ex," the man dodging his allegedly drama-creating ex, and any other divorced parents with grown children.

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been together for 10 years.

Dear Annie: My boss is simply a taker, and I'm tired of it.

My husband and I will be married two years in December. Prior to getting married, we had a “good” sex life. We discussed having a child of our own (I have three from a previous marriage), and he doesn’t have any.

Like so many of your readers, I never thought I’d be writing to you for help. But here I am.

This is in response to “Frustrated Peacemaker,” the woman whose husband was treating her mom with dementia in a condescending and critical manner.

I have always looked up to my older sisters. They are twins and six years older than me. We all had difficult childhoods ...

Dear Annie: I was raised in a Southern family that insisted on teaching good manners.

Dear Annie: About a year ago, I started talking to a guy who I had met online, and for the most part, things have gone OK.

Dear Annie:I'm a recent widow with an in-law problem.

I read with great interest the letter written by “Nostalgic and Regretful,” who was wondering what could have been with her high school boyfriend 47 years ago. I have a similar story, along with similar guilt, but for different reasons.

I’m a mother of three children who mean everything in the world to me. I gave them everything I could and loved them with all my heart. The pandemic was the start of lots of hard things.

You overwhelmed me with interesting replies to “Too Impersonal,” the letter saying that there is a lack of customer service today. Here is a sampling...

So many letters to you and other columnists have to do with children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews who don’t bother to thank the gift giver.

Dear Readers: Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day! May this year be filled with love, forgiveness and joy. Below are a few of some beautiful poems on the subject of love -- both romantic love and the love of nature.

Dear Annie: I have been in a relationship with a man for 10 years, and we have been engaged for four years.

Dear Annie: I am a single and retired homeowner. The problem is that I have a spending addiction where I nickel-and-dime myself to death.

My wife and I have three grandsons, 11, 8 and 6. When the pandemic hit, we were able to help out by taking care of the three boys for about four months. Since the first visit, the boys’ parents divorced. Now my ex-son-in-law will not let the boys come for a visit.

My boyfriend, “Denny,” and I have been together for two years, living together for the last year. He is a slob and oblivious to the mess he makes.

For background, I played and lettered in a variety of sports during school and continued to play on adult soccer teams and flag football as an adult. I was only able to get my sons interested in sports because I agreed to coach their recreational soccer teams.

I have experience as a financial coach, and some of the people I help are researching college scholarship opportunities for their children who are in middle school and high school. ...

Dear Annie: I am 29 years old, and the guy I've been seeing is in his early 30s. The issue that I'm having is that he has no ambition.

Dear Annie: My son has not spoken to me for eight years.

Dear Annie: Two years ago, I lost my husband to terminal cancer after 30 years of marriage.

Please say something about the inadequacy of texting for true communication. My sister is addicted to texting and will no longer use email or the telephone to communicate. All warmth, tone of voice and laughter are lost.

My sister and I are in our sixties. We are less than a year apart in age but have never really been close emotionally. We had a rough childhood, in which it was all about survival. Once we were adults, we both moved away and only saw each other a few times a year.

I am in a bit of a crush of emotions, and I am writing about a common topic that appears in your column. It is the first time I have ever written to anyone for advice, but I do want an opinion.

My wife and I have been married for eight years, and we have four beautiful boys together. A little over a year ago, I caught her having an affair ...

Dear Annie: I'm writing out of concern over your response to "Very Sad Mother of a Very Sweet and Special Daughter," who told you about the abuse that her daughter is experiencing at the hands of her son-in-law.

Dear Annie: I am heartbroken about our 33-year-old daughter.

Dear Annie: My neighbor and I have been friends for the last year and a half.

I’m 70, and my friend “Martha” is 72. We live in the same senior apartment complex and have known each other for about nine months. I’ve helped her a lot, taking her to doctor’s appointments, walking her dog after eye surgery, etc.

Our daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren live in another part of the country, so we are only able to see them a few times a year. On our most recent visit, my wife asked my daughter where she kept some of the very nice, expensive wedding gifts that had been given to them by friends of ours.

Am I the only one who is annoyed by the lack of customer service in our country today? I am in my 70s, and I vividly remember the days when I would call a hotel to make a reservation. A live human being would answer the phone and handle my request.

My husband and I have been married for a long time, and he is a great guy. However, when it comes to my 80-year-old mom, it’s another story.

Dear Annie: I have a very dear friend who is like family. I am 20 years older than she is, and at times I feel more like a surrogate mother than a big sister.

Dear Annie: I just finished reading the letter from “Caged Bird,” and my heart broke for her.

Dear Readers: Before the start of 2022, I asked you all to send me your goals and resolutions for the new year. These are some of my favorite reader submissions:

Dear Annie: I spent my early childhood years with a loving foster family, and today, at age 75, I have a great relationship with my foster brother.

I had a high school boyfriend 47 years ago but left him. He came to my house the day before I was marrying someone else and begged me not to marry him, but I did.

I have been married for more than 24 years, and we have three wonderful daughters. My husband has always been a wonderful father and an OK husband.

I am the person who wrote to you a few years ago about sending a box of thank-you notes and Forever Stamps as gifts to nonresponders.

Dear Readers: Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! In honor of this great man, I have attached some of the best excerpts from his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

Dear Annie: My relationship with my in-laws is a bit strange.

Dear Annie: Without trying to sound arrogant, I am smarter than the average bear.

I am a published author and have been struggling to write my next book. I’ve written a handful of adult-oriented fictional books. My most recent published book came out almost five years ago.

Recently, a friend confronted me about something that I didn’t think was a big deal: Sometimes I forget to respond to texts for a while, and then I reply and say that I just saw the message.

When I was 10, I began asking for a phone. Every kid in my class had one, and I was being left out and bullied because I was the only kid without one. Now, three years later, I finally have a phone!

I used to write every day — mostly poems but also essays. ...

Dear Annie: My twin sister and brother-in-law visited me for the recent holiday. I love my sister, and we have always gotten along well.

Dear Annie: Politics took over as the main topic at our holiday dinner.

Dear Annie:Hope you can give us some sage advice!

Our son has been married to a lovely girl for over 20 years. She is a daughter-in-law everyone should have. She cares for us; she keeps a gracious home; she is a good mother. My problem is with her mother.

My wife and I have been friends with this couple for over 10 years. We met when our kids were in grade school. We would get together with this couple regularly over the years for dinner and drinks, while the kids would stay at home.

I cried when I was reading the letters from parents about not letting go of their children in college. My mother was so strict with me that I was not even allowed to go to college.

Dear Annie: When I was a 21-year-old assistant English instructor (an “intern”) at a summer program for high school seniors in New Hampshire, I developed an interest in one of the students. She was 18.

Dear Annie: My husband and I enjoy your column and often read it out loud to each other and discuss possible answers before reading your response.

Dear Annie: I am a 62-year-old Nana of two beautiful girls, ages 6 months and 3 years. My son and his wife live 2 1/2 hours away, so I visit them every six weeks or so.

Dear Readers: Happy New Year! May the following thoughts encourage, enlighten and inspire you as we begin anew in the chapter of 2022.

You get a lot of letters about people whose partners fell in love with someone else, causing a rift in their partnership. I find a lot of these partners lacked communication, so I thought I’d share my story of what can happen when you just talk.

I am in an interracial relationship and am a stepparent to a 7-year-old daughter. When COVID-19 came, my mother-in-law was without a job and in between places. We have only two bedrooms, one for us and one for my stepdaughter.

I’m a 45-year-old-male and have had many traumatic events in my past, including abuses too bad to name. My problem is, as I was growing up, I was so mistreated that I never learned how to feel.

Dear Readers: I hope you enjoy some quotes below from one of my favorite poets, Henry David Thoreau. May he inspire you to live your lives to the fullest, spend time with nature, seek truth and always choose kindness and love.

Dear Annie: I don't know how to begin, so I'll just start by saying that after my father passed away 20 years ago, my sisters abandoned me.

Dear Annie: I need some advice on how to approach my older sister about how both she and her husband conduct themselves at family gatherings.

Dear readers: On Thanksgiving Day, I asked you to submit responses about what you're grateful for this year. In the spirit of the season — love, gratitude, family and cheer — I want to share some of your lovely responses.

Dear Readers: Below is one of my favorite poems for Christmas. Please enjoy, and wishing all of you and your families a joyous, peaceful and bright holiday season.

My husband is 68, and I am 66. He has two boys, and I have one, all fully grown and out on their own with children and even grandchildren

Around five years ago, still reeling from hosting our 15th or so yearly sit-down Thanksgiving extravaganza (out-of-town guests, family, friends, random strays, you get the picture), always fun but always exhausting, I was asked what we were doing for Christmas.

Dear Annie: We need help in handling a family situation that arose during a Thanksgiving visit. My brother-in-law has no table manners.

Dear Annie: I recently lost my son, and Thanksgiving without him was very painful.

Dear Annie: After paying my dues with bad relationships, including a toxic marriage that took me way too long to leave, I have finally found real love with a man whom I’ve known since we were teenagers.

Dear Annie: My middle-aged confirmed bachelor brother-in-law is a frequent and welcome dinner guest at our house.

My wife is borderline addicted to “Words With Friends” (an app game similar to Scrabble), and it’s causing me concern, in addition to creating some strife within our marriage. It would be one thing if she were only playing with other female players, but she also has an ongoing game with a former male classmate.

I am a baby boomer and appreciate the 20th-century tradition of “rising to the occasion” and taking in meals if a family member is ill or if there has been a death in the family. It is a kind and thoughtful gesture.

I have an old and close friend I’ve known for 50 years. We live far apart, and the only way to talk is by telephone. Over the past several years, my friend has started to suddenly interrupt our calls when there is a click on the line signaling another call.

Last weekend, I got a text from my dad that said: “I’m going vegan LOL.” (Yes, he says “LOL.” He’s hip like that.) I laughed and brushed it aside...

Dear Annie: I have a loving daughter, and I respect her husband greatly.

Dear Annie: I am asking you to reprint your column with the letter from “Neil,” who lost his wife to cancer and was having a difficult time coping with his grief.

Dear Annie: My husband works with a guy,"Dave."

I have been married for almost 24 years and have known my husband since high school. Throughout our early 20s, we would break up every once in a while, but it would be a short period of time and then we would be back together.

I have been in a friend group that plays board games nearly every month for 25 years. We all know one another from working at a startup in Colorado nearly 30 years ago. We don’t work together anymore, but we still play games together frequently.

Dear Annie: I have a 47-year-old son who lives with me. He pays no rent, and he does not help with the bills. He does help with some of the yard work and housecleaning, but he ignores it if I ask him to help with something that I would like.

How do I convey to my adult married children that I do not like being around my ex for the holidays?

Dear Annie: My husband of 19 years had an office gathering at our home in mid-August.

Dear Annie: My wife of 44 years passed away after a nine-day bout with cancer.

Dear Readers: Thank you for all your responses to "Letting Go Is Hard to Do."

Dear Annie: Both my adult daughter and her husband are employed. Since they do not cook, when my husband and I visit them, which is approximately four times a year, they send out for food and ask us to pay our share of the bill, or, on occasion, she will use my credit card to pay for the whole bill.

I am a single mother to my one daughter, who is now 29. She moved from our hometown because that’s where she met her husband, and she now has a son, my grandson, who is 1 1/2 years old.

This letter is addressed to all those who think back on a first love and believe their feelings are undiminished.

Please tell “Ready to Die” that she can get disability payments because she has a mental health disorder.

Dear Annie: I knew my husband had a Twitter account, and I thought he only followed groups.

Dear Annie: I have read the “Ask Ann Landers” column and now the “Dear Annie” column since I was a little girl, and I am writing to you at age 66. I always wanted to write into the column but never did.