‘The Most Interesting Man in the World?’

DEAR AMY » We have an in-law who apparently thinks HE is “The World’s Most Interesting Man.” During his career he traveled and experienced parts of the world one could only hope to visit to fulfill their Bucket List.

However, during any family gathering — no matter the topic or the number of members having open or even separate discussions — this guy will interject himself with some bizarre incident that only he thinks is amusing, redirecting the conversation so that it’s all about him.

After years and years of enduring this, we are finding it more intolerable to participate in family gatherings, yet have few options other than avoidance, which still does not work. Any suggestions? — Impossible to Escape DEAR IMPOSSIBLE » When an individual interrupts a group conversation and derails it, someone in the group should respond, politely and in the moment, “Wait a minute, Bud. We were in the middle of another conversation.” And then you rinse and repeat as many times as necessary.

Along with these polite and immediate course corrections, family members should engage, listen to, and interact with him — conveying the message that while his own life and experiences are very interesting, so are others’.

DEAR AMY » “Hopeless” disclosed her challenges as she copes with her husband’s brain cancer. She sounds traumatized, for good reason.

When we set a path in life and meet an insurmountable obstacle, it’s difficult to “re-path.”

When I was faced with trauma, I took long, long walks alone to feel and accept aloneness and responsibility. I let myself feel the distance between myself and the sky. I put one foot in front of the other. Challenges can be opportunities! — No Longer Hopeless DEAR NO LONGER » Solitude and time in nature are true balms for the soul. Other people do best when surrounded by human support. There is no one path for healing, but choosing to “re-path” is powerful.

Contact Amy Dickinson via email at askamy@ tribpub.com.