DEAR ABBY: I’m a single man who recently turned 40. I’m looking to seek out a wife who, like myself, has never been married and has no kids. I joined several dating web sites, but a lot of the women are divorced or widowed or have kids.
I just discovered a recent dating website for single, never married people. I’m unsure if I should join it, but having an internet site designed for people like me is an important idea. I even have read that 25% of all Americans have never been married. Pew Research just reported a brand-new poll and tens of millions of Americans have never been married, so I’m not losing hope. Should I join? — CONTEMPLATING IN FLORIDA
DEAR CONTEMPLATING: By all means, explore that recent dating site. Once you do, expect to satisfy women who’re considerably younger than you. Remember, nonetheless, that when you connect, you’ll have to take the entire precautions that folks on other sites do to be certain that you don’t get misled. Dating, no matter the way you meet someone, may be dangerous. I wish you luck.
DEAR ABBY: I grew up in an enormous lower-class family during which there has at all times been drama, fights, gossip, etc. I made a vow to myself that once I had my family, I’d raise them higher. I keep myself and my children distanced from all of that. Am I mistaken for keeping them away from my family? I don’t like drama or problems. Sometimes I miss my family, but after some time, I get overwhelmed. — SEPARATE IN CHICAGO
DEAR SEPARATE: As a parent, your responsibility is to guard your kids. In the event you feel exposing them to something is likely to be harmful, you’re inside your rights to maintain them away. Nevertheless, when you are raising your kids in a healthy environment, exposing them to your loved ones drama in limited doses isn’t prone to be harmful. Afterward, in case your relatives behaved badly, use it as a teaching moment. Use them as a “bad example” and indicate that in YOUR family, you don’t behave that way.
DEAR ABBY: I even have a neighbor who lives across the road. She’s in her late 70s. We’ve been friendly until recently, when she came around with me for coffee. We talked about many alternative things that day. She had brought me a gift and homemade cookies, which was nice.
When I discussed something that apparently she didn’t like or imagine, she stood up, announced that she didn’t come over to feel “uncomfortable” and left in a huff! I emailed her and sent a handwritten apology, but she hasn’t spoken to me since. What should I do together with her unopened gift and cookies? I don’t feel comfortable accepting them. — DAZED AND CONFUSED
DEAR D & C: How sad that your neighbor wasn’t capable of let you know what it was you said that made her so uncomfortable she felt she needed to end the connection. (Perhaps you can have straightened it out on the time.) Nevertheless, her decision seems to have been made, and you’ll have to just accept it. Since you now feel uncomfortable accepting them, return her gift and the cookies.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also often called Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.