Trending
Dear Annie: I am Jewish and have been dating a wonderful Catholic man for almost two years. We love each other and have started talking seriously about marriage. Until recently, our different religions did not seem like a problem. We respected each other’s traditions, celebrated holidays with both families and never pressured one another to change.
Now that marriage and children are becoming real possibilities, the differences feel much bigger. I want to raise my future children Jewish and give them the same traditions and sense of identity that shaped me. My boyfriend wants them baptized and raised in the Catholic Church. Neither of us is extremely religious, but our faiths are deeply connected to our families and backgrounds.
Our parents have also started weighing in. My family worries that I will lose an important part of myself. His family assumes we will have a Catholic wedding and raise Catholic children. My boyfriend keeps saying we will figure it out later, but I am afraid that “later” will only make the disagreement more painful.
Can two people with different faiths build a happy marriage when neither wants to give up the traditions that matter most? -- In Love but Divided by Faith
Dear In Love but Divided by Faith: Love can bridge two faiths, but you need to talk about your needs before you get married.
Consider things such as who will officiate your wedding, what the holidays will look like and how future children would be raised. A counselor familiar with interfaith couples may help. Neither of you should agree to something now and quietly hope the other will change later. Do not leave the hardest questions for later.
Dear Annie: I work closely with a co-worker whose style is completely different from mine. I like to plan ahead, meet deadlines early and keep detailed notes. She prefers to wait until the last minute and says she works best under pressure.
We recently shared responsibility for an important presentation. I completed my portion a week early, but she did not send me her work until the night before. I stayed up late fixing mistakes and putting everything together. The presentation went well, and our boss praised both of us equally. My co-worker acted as though we had been a perfect team.
This has happened more than once. She is friendly and talented, so I do not want to create tension. But I am tired of carrying the stress while she shares the credit. How can I address our different work styles without sounding controlling or damaging our relationship? -- Tired of Last-Minute Scramble
Dear Last-Minute: Different work styles are fine. Your co-worker making you clean up her mess is not.
Talk to her before the next project. Set clear deadlines, divide responsibilities and put the plan in writing. Be calm and specific about what happened last time. You are not asking her to work exactly like you. You are asking her to do her share on time. There is no “I” in team. It is a group effort.
“Out of Bounds: Estrangement, Boundaries and the Search for Forgiveness” is out now! Annie Lane’s third anthology is for anyone who has lived with anger, estrangement or the deep ache of being wronged -- because forgiveness isn’t for them. It’s for you. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Follow Annie Lane on Instagram at @dearannieofficial. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM