Here’s some unsolicited advice: Enjoy reading Amy Dickinson as much as you can for the next month.
Dickinson, a straight-shooting advice columnist who runs on MLive.com each day, has decided to retire at the end of June. I am sorry to see her go, in part because she’s our most-read columnist.
I will also miss her because I truly enjoy seeing how she frames responses with a mixture of common sense, wisdom and direct talk. It’s often applicable to daily life, and I’ve always found it to be entertaining. Often, in that “Can you believe this?!?!” sense of things.
One of her most-read columns in the past year was a young man seeking advice because his mid-20s partner wanted to quit her job and become a “stay-at-home girlfriend.”
Dickinson, as she frequently does, said what was racing through my head: “We all want to be a ‘stay-at-home girlfriend.’ But life does not work that way. ‘Chrissy’ is not a good partner to you. Furthermore, she doesn’t want to be a good partner to you. I think it’s time to break up.”
No ambiguity there! While I will miss watching her wade through the morass of human struggles and add a sense of order, her recent column announcing her retirement was filled with the substance that makes her column a “must-read” – it’s heartfelt, unflinching and includes intimate details that make her seem like a trusted friend.
“My mother and her three wonderful sisters are gone now. A niece and nephew died, tragically, while in their teens. Much of my recent life has been absorbed by caregiving, mourning, and recovery.
“Doing this work has sent me into therapy. It has inspired me to explore the teachings of world religions. … I’ve quoted the wisdom of Maya Angelou, Joni Mitchell and Fred Rogers, as well as dozens of poets, social scientists and psychologists.
“Inspired by readers’ dilemmas, I’ve also worked hard to mend fractured family relationships and to be a better friend.”
In doing so, I’d imagine that she’s become a trusted friend for many of you, and that you’re sorry to see her go, too. While we cannot replace what Dickinson uniquely brings to her column, we are adding a columnist to the roster – R. Eric Thomas.
Thomas, an author and playwright who formerly worked on the “Dear Prudence” column – has written an introductory column that you can read by clicking here. I’m sure he will have a unique perspective, same as advice-mates Dear Abby and Annie Lane, who will continue to appear on MLive.com.
“Asking Eric,” Thomas’ column, will appear on MLive once per week in June and then run daily starting in July. I’d encourage you to give him a chance to join your reading routine, just as you welcomed Amy Dickinson. Even after she leaves us June 30, I’ll continue appreciate this kind of wisdom, which she shared in parting:
“My personal experiences are a reminder that we humans can’t really control what happened before or what happens next. Joy, like grief, comes at you in such unexpected ways. That’s why it is so important to pay attention. I’ve learned to do that.”