How Can I Maintain Lasting Relationships?

Dear Zuri:

Every 2-4 years or so, I manage to lose my entire circle of friends, and have to start over. Sometimes, as in the most recent case, they hurt me deeply and can’t be bothered (or actively refuse!) to apologize. While I can, and do, forgive them regardless, I lose all trust and faith in them or their professed friendship, and thus it ends. Other times, distance or being too busy just drifts us apart. This has been going on my entire life, with rare and precious exceptions, and I’m tired of the pattern. I find and make friends easily. I just can’t seem to keep them.

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Can a Mercury Retrograde in Libra Signal the End of a Relationship Break in a Boyfriend’s Favor?

Dear Zuri:

My girlfriend wants to take a break. She says she still loves me but she says things have changed. She seems to just have a lot going on and I’m worried this will be the end of us. What can I expect?

CM 4/88

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When a Marriage is Over: He Has Emotionally Checked Out of the Relationship but Physically Still Lives Under the Same Roof

Dear Zuri:

After 28 roller coaster years I’ve decided to leave my wife. It’s been tough the last few weeks letting her know how I feel. She is not in the same place I am. I want to hurt her as little as possible so I’ve tried to work things out slowly and honestly. But it’s been tough. I’ve also tried thinking outside of the box….interesting stuff, but nothing has got me out of the house even though we are not sleeping together. Help me out with some ideas on how to make it happen. Thanks.

DT 8/56

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Fiancee Not Hip to Direct Communication with Future Inlaws

Dear Zuri:

My fiancee and I have been dating for a while and keep running into the same problem over and over again. My parents are phone people who expect regular phone contact with their children, which I am happy to give them and do give them.  But they have been disappointed and hurt by what they see as my fiancee’s unwillingness to maintain a direct relationship with them through regular phone calls, particularly my mother. In the past, at my request, my fiancee has made an effort to call my mother directly but the direct relationship becomes too much for my fiancee to handle and she cuts it off again. Right now my parents are going through a tough time and are upset she hasn’t called them directly to see how they are doing.

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