DEAR HARRIETTE: I have lost my passion for reading. When I was younger, I used to love reading. I had a different book in my hands every day. Lately, I have not been reading anything. There are hundreds of new books at bookstores, and I just walk past them.

I love reading, but I never seem to finish a book anymore. Additionally, whenever I do read, I never seem to comprehend the words; they just go in my eyes and never seem to reach my brain. I miss reading books; I was labeled the bookworm among my peers when I was younger. I feel like I lost a part of myself, and I don’t know how to find it again. Can I still go back? -- Ex-Bookworm

DEAR EX-BOOKWORM: It is natural that you are experiencing a shift in your priorities. As your life changes and fills with other activities, your interest in books has taken a backseat to other things. Since you do not like this change, take a step back and observe what you are spending your time on and whether you really want to divide your time in that way. Ask yourself why you have lost interest in books. Is there an underlying reason that you can identify?

Consider another popular option -- listening to audiobooks. Hearing someone read a book in your area of interest may reignite your love of reading. You can get lost in a book for hours by listening to someone read it to you.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Back in my freshman year of college, I was a part of my university’s cheerleading squad. I had to stay at school until late at night and get home close to midnight (since I was a commuter). Practice was not difficult, and I did pretty well with the intense three-hour workouts. However, I had two major problems: my grades and transportation.

Due to the late hours, my grades began to plummet drastically. I became incredibly depressed and had intense anxiety attacks. Before and after practice, I felt sick to my stomach and would faint sometimes from stress. The breaking point was a game that ended in disaster. It was horrible. I decided to quit and cut all ties with the team. Whenever I saw the girls in the halls or my classes, I could feel the awkward tension between us. Leaving the team was the best decision I ever made, but I feel scared to confront the girls about my reason for quitting. What should I do? -- Former Cheerleader

DEAR FORMER CHEERLEADER: It is worth it to create closure with the other cheerleaders even though you are not with them at school right now, given the fact that schools are shut down. Since you will continue to have this situation on your heart, I recommend that you reach out to your teammates and tell them that you miss them. Acknowledge that you are sorry you had to leave the team, but that you left because you were flunking school and getting home way too late. Apologize for not talking to them about it before. Explain that this was a tough decision for you, and you hope they understand.

(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: Now that we are living in this new reality of social distancing, I am already having a serious challenge with my teenage son. He is accustomed to being able to hang out with his friends as long as he comes home by his curfew. School is out for the foreseeable future, and he does not understand why in the world he has to stay at home and cannot hang with his friends. His argument is that the government says people shouldn’t get together in large crowds. If he is going to be with a couple of kids, he argues, what’s the big deal?

Honestly, I don’t even know what the rule will be by the time this letter gets to you. We could actually be quarantined by law. Whatever the case, I feel like I cannot allow my son to go out with his friends until we have some real sense that the danger is over. No official has a sense of how long that will be, although recent reports said it could be as far away as the fall. How do I control my teenage son for all this time? -- Teen Frenzy

DEAR TEEN FRENZY: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was on the news recently (as of this writing) saying that it may be impossible for parents to control their teens for the foreseeable future. He spoke of the nature of teens wanting to be together and the reality of trying to curb this virus being a convergence of opposing forces.

That said, medical professionals and civic leaders are urging all of us, including teens, to keep our distance from each other for weeks, if not months.

Government officials are saying that they will take action against anyone, including young people, who gather in groups larger than 10. As far as hanging out with a couple of friends, unless your son is able to get to his friends without being in others’ company and you are sure that the friend has been in limited company, exposure is still questionable.

How do you control this? Remind your son that this self-isolation is not forever. If he does his part, more people will remain healthy, even though it’s hard to do.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I gave money to a crowdfunding campaign for a woman I know peripherally through work. I often think about her and wonder whether she is OK. I wish she had posted an update on her health. Since she didn’t, do you think it would be all right to check in with her to see how she’s doing? I don’t want to be nosy, but she did a full-on campaign for money for what sounded like a life-threatening disease. I'm not asking for details. I would just like to have a sense of whether or not she is OK, or if she needs anything. Can I check in with her? -- Post-Crowdfunding

DEAR POST-CROWDFUNDING: It seems reasonable that you should be able to reach out to this woman to ask how she’s doing. You can send her an email, text or note through the fundraising platform saying that you know she wasn’t feeling well. Ask her how she is managing. Tell her you are thinking of her and hope that she is on the mend.

(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 just went to the doctor and had to speak to an administrator. When our meeting was over, she reached out to give me a fist bump. I was so surprised, I wasn’t sure what to do. At least she wasn’t offering me her hand to shake -- but seriously? She works at a health institution, and we have been told that we need to practice “social distancing,” including not touching one another. A fist bump is still two hands touching. I quickly offered her my sweater-covered wrist to bump her hand, but I thought it was ridiculous. What should we do in social or business situations now when people try to shake hands or otherwise touch you without thinking? -- Social Distancing, Please

DEAR SOCIAL DISTANCING, PLEASE: People are so accustomed to touching one another that it is taking time for us to come to terms with our new reality.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is a life-or-death decision to stop touching. The CDC says that the virus can live on your skin for a long period of time, so it is simply not worth it to touch anyone’s skin for the foreseeable future. That medical administrator made a mistake. She should have just said goodbye.

In the future when you are in the company of other people, smile at them, say what you are feeling and what you are about to do, offer an elbow if anything at all -- but do not touch. I like the Asian practice of bringing your hands together and bowing in front of the person before you as a greeting. Honestly, you just need to avoid touching. If someone aggressively reaches out, step back and speak up to stop the encounter.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who is having a baby. I am old-school, so I don’t love the fact that she is having a baby without being married, but she is an adult, and she has made her choice. I am coming to understand, in my old age, that not everyone shares my values. I am certain that she will be a good mother. She is a lovely young woman. She has invited me to her baby shower. I have been close to her since she was a child. I am thinking of attending. My only worry is that I still have some funny feelings about her not being married. I don’t want to say anything wrong. Can you suggest ways that I can be sure to be a good guest? -- No Judgment

DEAR NO JUDGMENT: Your worries may be for naught as it relates to going to the shower. Right now, only very small gatherings are being encouraged, so this event may be canceled. Check in with her to see.

Whether you see her in person or talk to her on the phone, focus on the positive. Congratulate her on the pregnancy. Ask her how she feels. Listen to her about how she’s managing. Pregnancy can be daunting for women the first time around. There is so much to consider. Since you have known her for all of her life, reserve your comments to words of encouragement. Keep your opinions to yourself.

(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.)