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Muskogee PhoenixSaturday, April 18, 2020

Dear Annie: I am recently divorced with two young chil-dren. As soon as my divorce was finalized, I initiated a date with someone I’d known for years. We’re still dat-ing nine months later.

He is not really my type, but I asked him out because he makes me feel safe. He has been divorced for five years and is ready for a serious relationship. He has two kids and is more than happy to blend families some-day. He is everything my ex is not: stable, or-ganized, affectionate, mature, thoughtful and financially re-sponsible. He loves me and cares for me and wants to be my “every-thing.”

He is ready to inte-grate our lives, but I am torn — partly because I rely on ali-mony for a few more years and therefore need to keep things a secret, partly because I’m not sure I want that level of com-mitment ever again, but mostly because I am terrified to get that close to some-one emotionally and risk getting hurt. I do love him, but I’m still not fully over my ex or healed from the divorce. I care about

him, but I love my independence and don’t want to rely on anyone again. He is not pressuring me to move forward right now, but I know soon he will want to know if I am in this for the long haul, which is a fair question. I have told him I’m not ready for the next steps, and I do think he’s willing to wait awhile, but not for as long as I need him to. However, I’m afraid I’ll regret it forever if I lose such a good man. Please help! — Torn

Dear Torn: Cliche but true: Good things come to those who wait. This man is not rush-ing you, so stop rushing yourself. Focus on today, and the future will unfold as it should. If it does get to a point where he’s pushing for marriage and you’re still not ready, then don’t marry him. That lit-tle voice inside your head knows a lot more than you give it credit for.

In romance and in all things, always strive to act from a place of love, not fear.

Dear Annie: I, like many, am very worried about the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only will many people likely die, but many have lost their jobs and economic security. During times like these, I think one of the worst effects is the pervasive feeling of helplessness that can occur, so I am try-ing to do something to help. I am one of the lucky ones with a sta-ble job that allows me to work from home. Not only am I not los-ing income, but I am saving money because I don’t need to buy gas and I’m not going out. So I have decided to donate any money I save to a local food bank. It’s not much, but it’s not nothing, and if everyone work-ing from home de-cided to donate their gas money to those in need, it could actually make a difference. — Doing What I Can

Dear Doing: Thank you for this call to empathy. Fred Rogers said: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” God bless you and all the helpers.

No need to rush this relationshipComics

Dear AnnieAnnieLane

PEANUTS Charles Schulz

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE Stephan Pastis

BLONDIE Dean Young & John Marshall NANCY Olivia Jaimes

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE Lynn Johnston

BIG NATE Lincoln Peirce

GARFIELD Jim Davis

BORN LOSER Chip Sansom

PICKLES Brian Crane

WALLACE THE BRAVE Will Henry

BEETLE BAILEY Mort, Greg and Brian Walker

DILBERT Scott Adams

BABY BLUES Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott

ZITS Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman

DENNIS THE MENACE Hank Ketcham

FAMILY CIRCUS Jeff and Bil Keane