Horoscopes

Aries (March 21-April 19): If you’re feeling a bit lost, it might help you to approach this day as you would a long poem that you don’t need to address all that directly. Just breathe your way through syllable by syllable. Taurus (April 20-May 20): The instruments sound beautiful all together, and then, when a solo comes up and the rest support, it’s a featured moment that adds dynamic to the entire piece. Take your solo when it’s your turn, and show up strong for the group. Gemini (May 21-June 21): Love unfolds in small gestures and continues to bond that way throughout the life of the relationship. Smiling into the eyes of another, a pat on the back, holding hands — these are the glue that holds over time. Cancer (June 22-July 22): Sweeping change is a hard thing to create if you’re still in the usual circumstances. If you can’t entirely switch environments, your best bet is a more cumulative approach. Establish one small habit at a time. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): There’s a risk of getting too caught up in your own head. Concern yourself with the wellbeing of others and you’ll reach the happiest state of mind achievable today. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Telling other people how beautiful they are is dicey business. The compliment can come off as impertinent or leave people feeling weird and self-conscious. Seek ways to build rapport that don’t focus on superficial qualities. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23): Adversity is an inevitable part of every life, which is why it’s so important to develop resilience. Resilience is developed by working through pain but also by enjoying and appreciating the easy, fun days like today. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21): Today there are three moments of joy worth noting in some way, by writing them down, taking a picture or retelling the story. As you collect these joyful bits, you raise yourself and everyone around you. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): It’s one of those days when it takes a little more activation energy to get up, get out and get going. It will be worth the effort. All the cool stuff is in the flow of life out in the big world. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Embrace a stressful situation. Bring it up close, and mentally wrap yourself around it. The close view shows you it’s not as big a deal as it seemed. Being brave enough to proceed will matter more than any outcome. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’ve done a few things very well recently, and you’d be remiss to let this go without acknowledgment. Give yourself the same warmth and props you would give an employee you were training or a child you were teaching. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): Consider that feeling good may be a matter of the frequency of pleasant things instead of the intensity of one glorious win. Big happy events may bring a rush, but it’s the small daily rushes that build up an overall pleasant tone. DEAR ABBY >> I am a transgender female who is working on my marriage to my wife of 41 years. I started my transition in 2011.

We have had our ups and downs during the course of our marriage. We have two sons and eight beautiful grandchildren. All of them know about my transition to womanhood, and my family also knows. What I need now is some advice to help our marriage. We are strongly committed to working on it.

— Real me in Ohio

DEAR REAL YOU >> Many couples choose to stay together and keep their marriage intact when one partner transitions. You and your wife can find help — and support — at the nearest LGBT center that offers couples counseling. If there isn’t one in your community, check the nearest large city to where you live.

You and your wife should also reach out to the Straight Spouse Network, which has been mentioned in my column before. This group was started in 1986 by Amity Pierce Buxton, Ph.D., and its mission is to build bridges of understanding for couples of mixed sexual orientation or gender variance. The contact information is straightspouse.org.

DEAR ABBY >> I have two adult children who are divorced and both live out of state. My son has no children, and my daughter has two who are now adults. I’m close to my son but have been estranged from my daughter and grandchildren for almost 20 years. (There is no possibility of a reconciliation.)

I have not explained the details about this situation to anyone. My close friends know I have no contact with them and, thankfully, to their credit, they haven’t asked. My co-workers, however, want to know about my family. I have tried giving them generic information, such as “they live out of state,” but a few keep asking for more details, such as when are they coming to visit, what do they do, etc. Some are being friendly, but a couple of them are busybodies. What can I say to deter them and their questions without being rude?

— Complicated in Virginia

DEAR COMPLICATED >> This situation is more common than many people realize, and the best way to stop nosy people from repeatedly asking questions would simply be to say, “We are estranged.” Period. If someone is so insensitive as to question you about why, you are free to say you prefer not to discuss it — now or ever.

DEAR ABBY >> What would you say about a married man who cultivates online friendships with young women? He is in contact with one of them every hour, calling or texting. Mostly it is innocent, but there are very warm texts that include “kisses” icons (“just pictures, nothing more!”).

He does not hide this from his wife. He tells her he is enjoying very much the communication with a young, beautiful woman. He says it is just a game for him, he has no feelings for them, he loves his wife and only her (and she feels it strongly). Do you think this kind of communication is acceptable?

— Trivial flirt in Russia

DEAR TRIVIAL FLIRT >> I don’t think so. The husband may not be cheating on his wife in the classic sense, but calling and texting is not only disrespectful to the wife he says he loves, but also to the young women who may not understand that it’s “just a game.”

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.