Abby, I have taken this really hard. I have cried every day since she had the abortion, and I'm torturing myself thinking this is my fault because I went against everything I believe in when I supported her in her decision.
How can I stop blaming myself for her decision?
- Tortured in the South
DEAR TORTURED: The decision about whether or not to terminate the pregnancy wasn't yours to make; it was your daughter's. Being pro-life, you have your own convictions, but you acted as a loving parent should - you supported your child. If you feel you could benefit from counseling to help you through this, ask your doctor for a referral.
DEAR ABBY: We keep a handgun hidden in a locked safe in our bedroom. (An access code is required to open it.)
We recently hired a babysitter whom we used for an evening while we attended a party. When she arrived, my husband immediately announced that we had a gun upstairs.
He felt it was her "right" to know. I think, because the gun isn't accessible, the information was useless to her and actually may have put our family in danger. To me, having a secured firearm in our house is no one else's business but ours. What do you think?
- Not the Wild West
DEAR NOT THE WILD WEST: I think you are correct. This is a subject that should have been discussed before the young woman was hired. Your husband exhibited poor judgment by sharing what should have been confidential information.