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DEAR ABBY: I have a special-needs son and cannot travel with him alone. I have also been in a committed relationship for two years. When my aunt’s youngest daughter got married last year, I clearly stated that I would not be able to attend because of these limitations. Now her son is getting married. The family sent out an electronic invitation and asked for a plus-one. Since my son will be with my parents during the wedding, I filled it out with my name and my partner’s name.
Read moreThis week, we find ourselves continuing to work our way through what God has to say about evil and suffering and possible reasons why he allows them to exist. We have previously looked at what the Bible says about evil and suffering as punishment for sin, as a consequence of other people’s sin, and as an outworking of the fallen angels’ free will manifest in all sorts of natural evil, including disasters and disease. However, the Bible also speaks of the necessity of some evil and suffering bringing about “a greater good.” Most all of us can think of pain and suffering that we endured only to come later to realize that the suffering brought about a particular state of affairs that could not have been otherwise discovered. This line of argument is often called the greater good defense and is one of the five categories of possible reasons why God allows suffering and evil to exist in the world to bring about God’s desired ends.
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DEAR ABBY: Every year like clockwork, we receive a holiday card from friends, which the wife addresses only to my husband. It is always a jolly card filled with their family adventures and achievements for the year, and it invariably leaves me wondering why she thinks it’s OK to leave me off the envelope. My husband and I have been together for more than 20 years. She knows I exist. We have met. I went to her wedding. Our husbands are dear friends.
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…And Then What Happened?
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DEAR ABBY: I am 54 and already facing ageism. Some of my neighbors who are in their 30s and 40s make ageist statements aimed at me. These people do not know me but happen to live in my building. One time, I was wearing a brand-new purple winter coat I loved. It was a gift from a close friend. A woman complimented me on my coat, followed by, “I didn’t know you could wear something like that at your age.” I was offended but remained silent and didn’t react emotionally.
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DEAR ABBY: I am a man who was widowed 11 months ago. I met a woman on a dating site, and we clicked immediately. We have been enjoying each other’s company for several months. We have a long-distance relationship. She lives three hours away. Although she indicated on the dating site her status as “separated for two years,” she still lives in the marital house with her husband. She recently filed for divorce, but it could be a while before it is finalized. I’ve asked her why she doesn’t move out now to protect her mental health. She says it would be throwing money away.
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DEAR ABBY: I’m in an eight-month relationship with a man who is a sexy good dancer. (I’m also a good dancer.) My dilemma is, he attracts a lot of female attention on the dance floor, and sometimes women aggressively come up and dance next to us, vying for his attention (which we usually ignore). Most of the time, I pay them no attention, but it sometimes affects our enjoyment because I get annoyed. He says he knows why I feel this way with some and that I should deal with it however I’d like to. He doesn’t actively pursue the advances, and I know we’re in love, but I’d like your advice on how to handle it. I’m astonished at how some women ignore boundaries when you’re obviously in a relationship. Men don’t do this to me. -- BOTHERED IN THE WEST DEAR BOTHERED: Your boyfriend is already doing his best to ignore the advances he receives. Unless you are ready to tell the hussies to “Back off, Honey, he’s MINE!” follow his lead. Yes, some women are aggressive, tasteless and seemingly desperate. You can’t change them, and neither can I, but you can change the way you react to a situation you can’t control. ** DEAR ABBY: I remarried several years after my first wife passed away. I thought they were different people, but they share one maddening trait. They refuse to use the phone! Of course they talk to the children, relatives and friends, but to no one who must be contacted for a business reason.
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