Here's to Happy Women...

What should we do when someone wears out their welcome? A friend of mine is currently struggling with a space invader. He has a friend who loves to stop by unannounced. This used to be an occasional occurrence, but lately it’s become a daily habit. My friend is threatening to develop a nasty habit himself — rudeness. He’s dropped subtle hints, then not-so-subtle hints. Neither has worked. It’s not like he can hide from this friend — he lives right next door. I suggested he just be direct and tell the neighbor he needs some time for himself. This provoked a laugh. I guess some guys have a hard time telling other guys to go away. Next, I suggested that he put a “closed” sign on his door when he doesn’t feel like having company. He thought about this for a moment, but then decided his neighbor would think it was a joke. He also explained that just because he doesn’t want this guy over every day, it doesn’t mean that others aren’t welcome. Poor guy. His girlfriend is way beyond i...

A good friend recently invited me over for a celebratory dinner in her home. I wasn’t sure what the celebration was all about, and my friend didn’t offer an explanation. I do know that it was the first time in a long while that I have heard her laugh . She told me that the celebration was a surprise and that all would be revealed in good time. As this friend and I were both born on the same day, we share a lot in common, including a rather “sideways” sense of humor. This invitation and my friend’s welcome laughter took me by surprise. You see, she r ecently separated from her husband, and is in the process of going through a painful divorce. I suppose the word painful is redundant, but I say it anyway — to make a point. The point being that this friend has been going through a rough time. She was married for 14-years, has a young daughter, and is living on her own for the first time in years. I didn’t realize how much I missed the sound of her infectious laugh. So I marked my cal...