DEAR HARRIETTE: My 80-year-old father lives in a retirement community. He likes it a lot and seems to be thriving since he moved there last year. My mother died two years ago, and my father needed to be around others.

He recently called to tell me he has a girlfriend. I’m not sure how I feel about this. Obviously my mother is gone, but it hasn’t been that long. Am I wrong for wishing that he would wait? He was married for more than 50 years. I don’t understand how he could look at another woman romantically after having devoted his whole life to my mother. It is hard for me to be happy for him. What can I do to fix my attitude? My father wants my blessing, and so far I have not given it. -- Not My Mom, Cincinnati

DEAR NOT MY MOM: You are being unreasonably harsh on your father. Two years have passed since your mother died, and your father has mourned. Now he wants some joy in the life he is living. He cannot bring back or replace your mother, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be allowed a chance at sharing moments with another woman. By all means, give him your blessing. So many older people have no one to love. That there is a woman who fancies him and whom he likes could be wonderful. It doesn’t mean he will forget your mother. What it does mean is that he is choosing to live in the moment. You should too.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a new friend who inspires me a lot. She is married with children, like me, but somehow she makes time for her girlfriends. She has a core group of friends who are her ride-or-die friends. They see each other regularly -- and she also spends time with her family. The difference between us is she works part time and I work full time. I have a couple of friends I rarely see. I wish I could be more like her. Any suggestions? -- Friend Connect, Dallas

DEAR FRIEND CONNECT: Your friend is a gregarious woman who has figured out how to incorporate many people into her life with ease. That is a gift not everyone has. You should pay attention to how she organizes her time to see if you can glean clues you can use. Don’t diminish her part-time work schedule as being a help. When you work full time, it allows you a lot less time for socializing. Give yourself a bit of a break.

Now, what can you do to expand your friend connections while taking care of your family? Organize at-home activities where you invite your friends to join you where you already are. You can also choose one evening a month when you go out with your friends. Just as you make time for your friends, do the same thing with your husband and children. Schedule time for connections so you take nothing for granted.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m afraid my parents are about to get divorced. They have been arguing nonstop for a long time. Recently it has escalated. The crazy thing is, I just moved back in the house after graduating from college. I’m here for a short time until I can get on my feet. Who knew that I would walk into a war zone? They were fine before I left four years ago, but it’s different now. They don’t seem to notice me much, but I want to help. What can I do? -- In the Middle, Stamford, Connecticut

DEAR IN THE MIDDLE: Consider it a blessing you are at home during this stressful period. Be careful as you investigate what’s going on. Talk to each parent separately and ask what their intentions are. Find out if they think there is a chance or desire for repairing their marriage, or if they feel it’s over.

If either of your parents wants to stay together, suggest they go to counseling to work through their problems. If they both sound like they are ready to end their marriage, encourage them to take action rather than beat each other up emotionally as they are doing now. They owe each other the respect of dissolving their marriage with some sense of decorum. Tell your parents that what you are witnessing is scary and miserable for you. Ask them to treat each other better, even if they are about to sever their bond.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I work in corporate America at a job I have had for about 7 years. I do well there and am up for a promotion soon, but a woman who works on my floor could be standing in the way of that. She is basically my peer. For the past few months, she has been making a play for me. Whenever we are alone, she does little things like standing too close to me, sitting close by and hiking up her skirt, even touching me as she walks by. I have absolutely no interest in this woman. I also happen to have a serious girlfriend. I don’t want any mess. I don’t want this woman’s subtle actions to turn into anything more. Should I tell my boss? I don’t know how to handle it. -- The Dotted Line, Cincinnati

DEAR THE DOTTED LINE: You should speak to your boss about your concerns from the perspective of asking for advice. What you are experiencing happens rampantly to women in the workplace, and most businesses have some measures in place to help prevent overt sexist behavior. Ask your boss what he recommends you do to discourage this woman from continuing her advances.

You should also tell your human resources director about what has been happening so you are on the record as noting this discomfort. Be clear with your boss and with human resources that you enjoy your job and appreciate the opportunities you have had. Point out that you do not ever want to do anything that would jeopardize your integrity or that of the company.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel so insecure about my email address now. About two years ago, my social media and email, which were linked, were hacked. The hackers got so deep in my personal information that I had to create a new Facebook page because the hackers changed all my security questions. They stole my identity. It was horrible, but I started over.

I just got a message from Google that somebody tried to hack into my account. The notification asked me to go in and change my password, which freaked me out because I wasn’t sure if the alert itself was an attack. I decided not to change my password from my phone and did it separately as a precaution. But I’m so worried that somebody is going to get into my information again. I can’t stop having email and social media. That’s the way of the world now. What can I do? -- Hacked, Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR HACKED: You are right to be concerned and cautious. As you may know, Equifax was hacked, which will likely affect lots of us in some way with our most personal and valuable information. As far as Google or any other portal where you have a password, the recommendation has always been to change your password often and to make it complicated enough that it is not easy to figure out. It is also important to have malware protection on your computer to make it more difficult for hackers to get into your system.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am worried about my husband’s health. He has had swollen ankles off and on for a year, and they are swollen now. He used to be physically active in terms of exercise. Now he comes home from work from a fairly physical job, gets a drink and goes to bed. Sometimes he will get up and have dinner, but his patterns have changed dramatically. As much as he has been conscientious about vitamins and such, he rarely goes to the doctor. We have two teenage children. I try to get him to think of them and go check out his health. I don’t know what I would do if I lost him. What can I do or say to convince him to get a physical? -- On the Edge, Atlanta

DEAR ON THE EDGE: Schedule a doctor’s appointment for him at a time that you know he will be available. Sit down and tell your husband that you are taking him to the doctor for a checkup. Do not make it optional. Tell him you are worried sick about his health and need to have him evaluated. Remind him that you have two precious children and you need him to be around to help you take care of them. Tell him how much you love him and that all you want is for him to be healthy. Then get him in the car and go.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)