In 1862, Abraham Lincoln signed a bill admitting West Virginia into the United States.
Hello, dear readers! Welcome to our monthly letters column. We’ve had some interesting mail, so we’ll get right to it.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My son rarely calls me or reaches out to me, and it makes me question whether I did something wrong raising him. He is now a sophomore at a college halfway across the country. I was sad to see him go away, but I assumed he would call me first sometimes. I thought wrong; if I want to hear from him, I need to call him. What hurts me the most is that when we do call, our conversations feel rushed, as if I’m interrupting his life rather than being a part of it. I try not to sound like a needy parent, but I can’t shake the feeling that I care about him way more than he cares about me.
What’s the economic outlook for 2026? Much depends on the answer, since how voters feel about their financial situation next November will largely determine who controls Congress during Donald Trump’s last two years in office.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently got cast on a game show that I’ve watched for years and I’ve always wanted to be on!
Yesterday I saw a friend, Bridget, whom I had not seen for a full year. “How have you been?” she asked.
In 1814, the United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812.
Dear Doctors: At age 51, I was diagnosed with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis. After a second round of tests, treatment was changed from open-heart surgery to balloon valvuloplasty. What can I do to help the results last?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m confused and honestly a little heartbroken. My sister and I grew up incredibly close – practically joined at the hip. We talked every day and leaned on each other for everything, and I always felt like no matter what changed around us, we would stay the same.
In Sweden, there used to be a widespread belief that animals could talk on Christmas Eve.