DEAR HARRIETTE: I am part of a friend group that has been together since high school. Now we are grown women with children and adult lives, but we still stick together. It’s really nice. Because we know each other so well, it’s easy to talk about anything, even when we are having problems. I love that about my friends.
Recently, one of our group had the idea that we should get matching tattoos to show our enduring friendship. This is where I draw the line. I don’t want to get a tattoo. Everybody else does. How can I stay close with the group and also not give in to this request? -- No Tattoo
DEAR NO TATTOO: Whatever your friends plan to tattoo on their bodies, you can have made up in a necklace. Tell them how much you love and support them and how much you appreciate the sentiment of the tattoo. Then draw the line and make it clear that you will not be getting the tattoo. Because you want to be part of this group effort, tell them you will research having a necklace made with the symbol or word(s) that they intend to print on their bodies. You can invite them to get a necklace, too, if they like.
(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.)