Dear Abby
Dear Abby: I’ve had a feeling for years that my son might be gay. It’s confusing to me why he can’t share this part of his life with me. I love him, no matter what. When my husband and I were living far apart, everything was fine. But once I mentioned that we might move closer, my son got really upset and made it clear he wasn’t on board with that. I didn’t understand why at the time.
Now that we’re closer, there seems to be this invisible barrier between us. My husband is disabled, and I take care of him. It can be quite stressful, but I try to manage my emotional and physical well-being. Interestingly, my husband’s father is also gay, and he divorced my husband’s mother. I think this might play a role in why our son keeps his distance. I’ve heard some of his friends, both guys and girls, express their suspicions about him. I just want to strengthen my relationship with my son. I’ve reached out to PFLAG for help. Any thoughts? – I’ll try it in Virginia
Dear I’ll try: If your son is indeed gay—though he may not identify that way—it makes sense he might be more distant from his father, especially given his father’s homophobia. I find it odd that his friends would feel comfortable speculating about his sexuality to you.
Getting in touch with PFLAG was a great move. They are quite a reputable source, something I’ve mentioned frequently. But you might want to consider whether pressing your son is the best approach, especially since he seems reluctant. It could be a good idea to give him some space to navigate his life and seek support elsewhere.
Dear Abby: I’m a 71-year-old man who’s been married for 54 years. I have a really bad habit of interrupting my wife when she talks. I’m trying to change that, but it’s tough after so long.
Recently, when she wanted me to watch a “funny” YouTube clip, we ended up having a big argument. I had a lot of medical prescriptions to organize that week, so I said no. She blew up and told me I’m fine with interrupting her, but she can’t interrupt me.
After that, she kept pointing out how I interrupt her during cooking, reading, and other activities. I just wanted to know if I’ve really been that disruptive or if this has turned into an overreaction. – North Carolina chatty woman
Dear woman: It sounds like there was indeed an overreaction. Interestingly, your wife didn’t mention you interrupting her directly, but it seems there’s a broader issue at play. Maybe you’ve been around each other so much that it’s become a bit annoying? It might be beneficial for both of you to have some time apart now and then.
