DEAR ABBY: I've been concerned with somebody for greater than a 12 months, and he has proposed.
He lives in Tennessee, and I'm in Oregon. Being in a long-distance relationship has been very troublesome.
To start with, he was very attentive. I like him very a lot and I believed we had been going to have a future collectively. Nevertheless, he's very busy along with his profession so it’s troublesome planning.
We've set wedding ceremony dates a few occasions, and it’s at all times getting placed on maintain.
My downside currently is he hasn’t been responding to me by textual content or e-mail. He stated he loves me, however I don’t perceive why he hasn’t gotten ahold of me. What do I do now?
— HANGING IN THE BALANCE
DEAR HANGING: I want you had talked about how lengthy it has been since he has communicated with you. Might he be sick, injured or incarcerated?
Whether it is none of these and it has been greater than a few weeks, it could be truthful to imagine his enthusiasm has cooled, and you must rethink the long-distance engagement.
DEAR ABBY: My sister-in-law is more and more overbearing and abusive to me. It has at all times been an issue, however I ignored her nasty feedback. Now, I'm lastly sick of it.
Over the past 12 months, she has begun to insist my husband retire. She needs us to shut the doorways of a enterprise we've got operated for 43 years. We're extremely profitable. We've greater than 23 workers who depend upon their salaries for his or her livelihood, and the enterprise is effective.
I've tried to inform her properly to butt out, however it has solely made her extra abusive.
I can’t draw Social Safety but, so I wouldn’t have an earnings. My husband received’t say a lot about it. Now she’s soliciting our associates to name us and harass us about retiring. Assist!
— STILL WORKING IN VIRGINIA
DEAR STILL WORKING: If anybody tells you to retire and promote your small business, an applicable response could be, “I do know you imply nicely, however once we’re able to retire, we'll let you already know.”
DEAR ABBY: I'm a nonbeliever and I would like recommendation about tips on how to reply when folks “ship prayers, are praying for you and yours, and so on.”
There are numerous “prayer” messages on social media for all events. I by no means know what to say as a result of I don’t pray, nor do I ship prayers to anybody. Sending “heat ideas” appears lame. What could be an applicable response?
— AWKWARD IN NEW MEXICO
DEAR AWKWARD: You aren't obligated to say something about God or prayers. If prayers are addressed to you, thank the sender for his or her thoughtfulness. If they're addressed to you and your loved ones, embody the phrase “we.”
If, nonetheless, the life problem is another person’s, some applicable responses may be, “I'm sorry to your ache. I'm sending heat ideas, love, (and so on.), with needs for a speedy restoration, deepest sympathy, (and so on.).”
Pricey Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, often known as Jeanne Phillips, and was based by her mom, Pauline Phillips. Contact Pricey Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Field 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.