When I was seven, my mom died. I’m having a really hard time lately and I can't take it anymore! I cry myself to sleep at night. I only have one other friend whose mom died. Both of our moms had cancer.

I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through. I can’t imagine the frustration and pain you must be going through. But don’t lose your hope and don’t forget that you can (and will!) get through this.

It’s great that you have a chica who can understand and relate to you. Around her, you can just let your feelings flow. But don’t limit yourself to that one gal. Sure, she might be the only friend who went through what you’re going through, but that doesn’t mean she’s the only friend who cares about you. If you’ve got some other girlies who you trust, try opening up to them. Chances are they’ll want to help you get through this and they just might have a fresh way of viewing this whole sitch.

There’s no doubt that you’re a big part of your dad’s life. And because of that, he won’t make any hasty decisions without thinking about you first. Sure, he could and should’ve told you about his date, but please know this was a tough decision for him, too. He probably was just as frustrated as you were when he made his decision to go on the date—and he was really stressing over whether he should tell you or keep it secret. If you look at it that way, your dad and you kinda share something in common.

by Jean Lee | 2/1/2016