Dear Larry! I’m so sorry that you can’t be there for your daughter in France. You are right that it is healthy for her to speak what is in her heart. Teenagers are a breed of their own, easily upset because of the wild hormone rollercoaster they are on. I’m also sorry that your little granddaughter is being affected by the potential death of her other grandparent. My granddaughter was about 4 years old when she lost her "papa" (grandfather). She seemed traumatized at the funeral and would settle for nothing less than her Dad carrying her all the time. I encouraged her and her cousins to talk about "papa’s" death, and would initiate such conversations, in the car. It helped to know how these little girls understood death, and could answer any questions or misconceptions they had. I made sure they knew that papa was not coming back, that he was in heaven with papa’s dog Tillie. And that heaven was a nice place. And that papa was old and very, very sick. Not like the sick that they get with flus and colds, but a different kind of sick. With everything that is piling up in your life, you could use gambling to escape for a bit, but you know so well that gambling won’t solve one of your problems. I wanted to ask you if you are going to come and hang out with the 3 of us gals on the evening of the 12th. I thought it would be nice to tour the city of Chicago. Carole
