Annie Lane

Dear Annie: My husband and I recently went on an eight-day cruise to Iceland with two close friends. We have been friends for more than 40 years and have traveled together many times. Two days before we were to leave, I tested positive for COVID. I went to urgent care, and the doctor told me I could still go on the trip. I began Paxlovid and wore a mask for the first five days of the cruise.

Unfortunately, by the end of the trip, my husband, one of my roommates and I all tested positive for COVID after we returned home. Since then, my friends have stopped speaking to me. I feel heartbroken that a trip that should have been full of memories has now fractured a decades-long friendship.

I never intended to put anyone at risk, and I followed the medical advice I was given. Now I do not know how to repair this damage or if my friends will ever forgive me. What can I do to try to mend this rift? — Hurt and Regretful

Dear Hurt and Regretful: It is understandable that your friends are upset. From their perspective, you boarded a cruise with COVID, and they may feel you put them at risk. Friendships of 40 years, however, deserve more than silence. Write a heartfelt note acknowledging their feelings and apologizing for the distress. Then give them space. If the bond is strong, time and sincerity can help heal the rift.

Dear Annie: I do not know where to begin. My grandson is 24 years old, and for most of his life, we were very close. He often lived with me growing up, and we shared a bond where we could talk about anything. After he graduated from high school, he met a young woman and they both lived with me for about a year. When they moved out, everything seemed to change. His girlfriend made it clear she did not like me, and my grandson began to distance himself. Eventually, he moved without telling me where he was living.

Out of love and desperation, I tried to reach out. I once left a note on his car to say I missed him. After more than a year of no contact, I even sat outside his home one evening so I could see him when he returned from work and tell him how much I cared. To my shock, he and his girlfriend filed for a protection order against me. I was devastated. I had never threatened or harmed them in any way, nor would I. I went to court because I felt it was so unfair. The judge ruled in my favor and stopped the order, but I swore I would not contact him again.

Now I am left with a broken heart. I miss my grandson terribly and love him more than anything. I do not understand how our once-close bond could disappear so completely. Is there anything I can do to win him back, or must I accept that I may never have a relationship with him again? — Missing My Grandson

Dear Missing My Grandson: Your pain is real, and it is clear how deeply you love your grandson. But love sometimes means stepping back, even when every part of you wants to reach forward. Right now, he has made it clear he needs distance, and the kindest thing you can do for both of you is to honor that boundary.

That does not mean the door is closed forever. Keep your heart open, but stop pursuing him. Trust that if and when he is ready, he will know where to find you. In the meantime, pour your energy into the family members and friends who value your presence. You deserve love, peace and connection in your life, not constant heartache.

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