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LETTERS ON THE DECEMBER ISSUE
I have never been so moved as by
the photo for Moment of Grace . .

Shoep the dog tugged at my
!
heartstrings. His face
'
shows relief, trust, and
gratitude during this
peaceful moment.
We all suffer and
need support, healing,
and kindness. We
receive it so rarely, but
we know it when we see it.
I hope this photo will inspire us to
be better to each other.
George 1. Paterno, Kutztown,Pennsylvania
Football Battles On
I work in a blue-collar town, and
when the shop guys saw me reading
"Breaking Up with Football," they
accused me of being a bleeding
heart! Football is so ingrained in
our culture that any attack on it
throws people into knee-jerk
spasms of reactionary extrem-
ism. Nobody is threatening to take
away football but rather to make
the game more about the game than
bashing people. The gruesome
football of today is not what I grew
up playing. Chris Avery, Lansing,Michigan
Quotable
Tweets
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It's not just football. People should
break up with other full-contact
sports as well. If football players
cannot prevent brain damage with
all the protection they wear, cer
tainly wrestlers, boxers, and mixed
martial artists, who participate
with little to no protection, are
also susceptible to brain damage.
Annie Li, Shorel i ne, Washington
Lasting Legacy
Thank you for publishing the classic
"The Gold & Ivory Tablecloth" by
Rev. Howard C. Schade. I remember
the story and how much I enjoyed
reading it when it was frst pub
lished. These reprints give a new
generation of readers a glimpse
of what the publication has brought
to its readers since the Wallaces
started it in their home 90 years ago.
William H. Green, Gainesville, Texas
VfW-NVfM#TfMW
Keep the Laughs Coming!
I don't know where you find these
funny and refreshing stories and
jokes that keep this 74-year-old man
chuckling (and running to his wife
with yet another funny bit to share).
Keep doing what you're doing, and
I'll keep reading and sharing.
Hank Domanski, Baldwinsvilie, New York
Let's Discuss Depression
I, too, have experienced the many
reactions Stephanie Gallman faced
when she told people about her
problem with depression (Health
Digest, "'But I Hula-Hoop in
Walmart!"'). After years of feeling
misunderstood, it was uplifting to
read the thoughts of someone who
truly shares what I went through
and isn't afraid to speak out about
this traumatizing disease.
Christine Hoffman, viae-mail
Share the Smiles We broke "The Year in Miracles" into shareable bits
on our Pinterest page (pinterest.com/readersdigest). Fans loved them! Here,
the three most repinned:
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Playing Favorites
I have been dating an amazing guy
for almost two years, and I can say
without hesitation that he is the one
I want to marry. The problem is that
my parents seem to be less than
enthusiastic about him. As they
shower my siblings' signifcant others
with gifts and cute Facebook posts,
my boyfriend gets nothing. It's embar
rassing that his family welcomes me
with open arms, when my family
can't seem to do the same for him. I'm
worried it will be like this forever, so
what can I do to improve this situation
before we decide to tie the knot?
Embarrassed Girlfriend
Dear Embarrassed,
This calls for some head-to-head
confrontation with your family.
Ask them, outright, to explain
the discrepancy between their
treatment of your boyfriend and
the others. Give them a chance to
speak up about any red fags they
sense in the relationship. Be sure
to listen to what they have to say.
Then tell them about your feelings
for this man, and be clear about
your intentions. If they go on to
snub him, well, you will have all
the information you need to make
a decision about the direction of
your life if you choose to share it
with this man. And it may not
include them.
send questions about manners,
parents, partners, or ofice politics
to advice@rd.com. Sending gives us
permission to edit and publish.
186
YOUR WORDS
OF WISDOM
In our December issue, we asked
you to help Too Nice deal with
her bothersome neighbor. Most
of you urged caution:
It seems creepy because it is
creepy. Your intuition is warning
you, so trust that feeling and deal
with this pronto. Tell the guy not to
come over unless your husband is
home. And if you can't do that, tell
your husband about this guy and
how you've got a creepy feeling
about him. Tim Shoemaker
Politely inform him that you feel it
is inappropriate for you to be enter
taining him while your husband is
gone. There's nothing rude about
that! Let him know that if he wants
to spend time with you and your
husband together, he is welcome
to do so. If he can't accept that, then
you don't want to be friends with
him anyway. Auntie Emme
GIVE YOUR BEST ADVICE
Write your answer to this
problem at rd.com/ebruary.
It seems like every word that comes
out of my mother-in-Iaw's mouth
is either a criticism or a complaint
directed toward me. My husband
says that's just her way of making
conversation, but I think otherwise.
Howdo I bring this up with her to
cfear the air?
Distressed Daughter-in-Law
readersdigest.com 2/13
We can't all be
heroes, because
somebody has
to sit on the
curb and clap
as they go by.
Will Rogers
I wish the whole
world could see
what I see. Some
times you have
to go up really high
to understand how
small you really are.
Felix Baumgartner,
record-setting Austrian
skydiver
This is a good sign,
having a broken
heart. It means
we have tried for
something.
Elizabeth Gilbert
Don't aspire to make
a living. Aspire to
make a difference.
Denzel Washington,
inGQ
I decided I can't pay
a person to rewind
time, so I may as
well get over it.
Serena Williams
192
FINISH THIS SENTENCE
LIFE IS LIKE ...
You can
never fully
put your
finger on
the reason
why you're
suddenl
inexplica I
compelle
to eXRlore
one life as
opposed to
another.
Daniel Day-Lewis
. .. a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears
we never use. Charles M. Schulz
... an onion; you peel it off one layer at a time,
and sometimes you weep. Carl Sandburg
... a great big canvas, and you should throw all
the paint on it you can. Danny Kaye
ILLUSTRATION BY KIRSTEN ULVE