DEAR ABBY: I’m a 64-year-old man. I’m unmarried and feature two daughters and 4 grandkids. A tender lady (“Sarah”), who’s my daughter’s generation, and I’ve been mountain climbing pals for the time 5 years. I deal with her like my 3rd daughter and a people member. Sarah is married, and her husband does no longer experience mountain climbing. Her husband and my daughters settle for our friendship and are glad that I discovered an individual I will hike with.
I’ve been relationship a girl (“Toni”) who’s akin to my generation. Six months in the past, I instructed we will have to spend our lives in combination. My daughters and Sarah have been glad for me. Toni unwanted my proposal, bringing up that I should have some roughly romantic courting with Sarah.
Once I discussed it to Sarah, she distanced from me. I believe she thinks she could have interfered with my courting with Toni. We’re nonetheless buddies however no longer like ahead of. Will have to I communicate to Sarah and ask why she distanced from me? I believe depressed about this and feature some regret. I will have to no longer have advised her what Toni stated. — HIKER IN COLORADO
DEAR HIKER: I don’t suppose you probably did the rest fallacious by way of telling Sarah what Toni implied. You’ve gotten a proper to invite any query you would like of your mountain climbing good friend. You received’t know why your heat five-year courting along with her cooled until you ask.
What I want to know is whether or not you might be nonetheless relationship Toni nearest she unwanted your proposal. If the solution is sure, do you intend to proceed, figuring out you haven’t any week along with her until you discover a male mountain climbing good friend?
DEAR ABBY: I’ve had a chum who has been in my time and a part of my staff of buddies’ lives since highschool. Years and years upcoming, she has grow to be an increasing number of damaging towards all folks for incorrect explanation why. Her husband is demise now, and we don’t know the way to take care of it.
She has ghosted all folks as a result of she’s so stuffed with hatred and negativity. We had many years of a laugh and reminiscences, however she needs not anything to do with us. How will we take care of the demise of her husband? She says we’re all phonies, which is all in her head. — PERPLEXED IN OHIO
DEAR PERPLEXED: How lengthy has this lady been turning into “negative”? There is also a reason she has modified. Her husband is in poor health and he’s no longer getting to recuperate. If she loves him and feels any duty to him in any respect, she’s directing all of her energies in that path.
Find out how to take care of this is able to be for you longtime buddies to step ahead. Inform her you support. Volunteer to aid by any means she’s going to permit, and don’t isolate her any longer than she has free herself. If you happen to haven’t executed that, I will see why she would possibly have stated she concept you have been phonies.
Expensive Abby is written by way of Abigail Van Buren, sometimes called Jeanne Phillips, and was once based by way of her mom, Pauline Phillips. Touch Expensive Abby at http://www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Field 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.